


Digimon Destiny: Eight Years

by PredictedCyborg



Series: Digimon Destiny [1]
Category: Digimon - All Media Types
Genre: four Digimon partners, four human partners, otherwise - spoilers!, tagged for transphobia, using a mix of original Japanese and American dub terms, will add the Digimon names as the story goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 08:19:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 82,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6071916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PredictedCyborg/pseuds/PredictedCyborg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Digital World will always need saving. It will always need humans to help the chosen partners fight the evil that hungers to take it. It will always be under threat of falling under.</p><p>But there's never a need to worry. For the future can be read, and the events laid out ahead of the young newlyhatched who are destined to be Digimon partners. They were chosen before they were ever aware, selected from those newly created from humanity's ever expanding digital stores. Their lives were plotted out, their future shapes foretold and each were shown the faces of their human. Their partner...</p><p>Only this time, destiny got it wrong.</p><p>The call was sent, but the humans never came... the bond between partners was not formed at the time it was foretold it would be.</p><p> </p><p>And now it's eight years later and the same humans and their Digimon have changed beyond all recognition...</p><p>What do you do when your destiny happens years too late?</p><p>... Why, save the Digital World of course. That part never changes.</p><p> </p><p>[FIRST STORY IN DIGIMON DESTINY SERIES]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 5 minutes and counting...

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to the Gatomon plushie that inspired the idea of a late-answered call; and the friend who gave her to me for Christmas 12 years after I missed my last chance to own one.

_Digital World..._

_The world beyond the Human World. The world constructed from the data they made. Hidden, secret... dangerous._

_Digital Monster..._

_Artificial Intelligence. Formed from living data, forever evolving and growing. At first simple, they grew and changed as the animals of Earth did but at a much accelerated rate. Never lost, upon death being reborn again as a Digitama egg._

_The Digital World expanded as did humanity's data. New Digital Monsters were formed, new species evolved._

_Of course, as everything grew so did the Digimon's sentience. And just as their unintentional creators once did, they warred against one another. Competition for resources became territorial disputes became battles of hate. Fighting was all the Digimon knew for a long time..._

_Eventually those with the most power also became among those who first evolved beyond those emotions. As the data became more complex, they learned of happiness and joy and laughter; of sadness and sympathy and empathy; of anger and cruelty and greed. And so four of these Digimon came together as one to take an almost omniscient hold over the Digital World, ruling over the Digimon as the Digital Sovereign. Together they handed down to the other Digimon the emotions they had gained and so the Digital World began to evolve in another way: society._

_Of course, there would always be those who desired to wreck the balance. There would always be darkness and evil and terror. That's why the Sovereign formed the Partner Program. Uniting Digimon with chosen members of their creator species could lead to some unusual effects and would keep under control those who would threaten the Digital World's peace. To determine when the need for humans was upcoming, one Digimon was blessed with the ability of time management. To see all that had been, was and would be and to travel down it as you would a path. To them was entrusted the running of the Partner Program and the connection of both worlds so that humans or Digimon could come through to the other's respective world._

_Just such a time is now approaching and already the stage has been set. The partner Digimon gathered and awaiting their human, and the call prepared to go out. Such an event has happened many times before in the past, the routine standard procedure now._

_Nothing could possibly go wrong._

 

"Come on, we'll be late!"

The boy pounded down the corridor, his bag smacking against him as he sprinted across a floor that was rapidly emptying. Soon the bell would ring and then if they weren't there within the minute, they'd be marked down. Again. He wasn't going to be this time, no sir. It wasn't his fault that they were running late anyway...

"Oh come on, that cat was adorable. You feel good for having pet it!"

She was right behind him, still adamant that she'd done nothing wrong by stopping to make a fuss of the black tom that lived in a house just by the school. To be fair, it was a very cute and friendly cat and he didn't often get to spend time with animals. After all, his mother was allergic.

"Almost there!"

 

"It's finally time!"

"We're going to meet them!"

"Are you okay...? You're shaking PetitMeramon..."

"I feel so excited I might burst!"

"... Please don't."

"Shh! He's coming!"

The Four In-Training Digimon were quiet then, lined up and facing forwards in the way of young children trying to appear grown-up to their guardians so that a treat might not be denied to them. Said Guardian entered the room then and took in the scene, nodding serenely.

"There is no need for you to act in such a manner," he said. "I know that you must all be very excited."

He watched as the four young Digimon tried not to move from their behaving poses, although their mouths trembled as they tried not to show off the childish excitement inside. He shook his head and carried on into the room, hearing a startled yelp as one of his young charges apparently decided that they could misbehave now that they were no longer being watched. He came to the platform he had stood before many a time before and took a pause to let his mind absorb the importance of what he was again about to do.

Humans would soon again be entering their world and bonded for life with the four young Digimon behind him. He never grew tired of the wonder in the eyes of Digimon and human as they realised how important their partner was to them. With some it did take longer, but he had never once seen a partnership fail. Why should it? He could see what was to come, and destiny never lied to him. These four for example, he could see some wonderful adventures coming as well as some impressive final forms. Yes, all was going to be as it should.

"Gather little ones," he called to the In-Training Digimon behind him. "It is time. I am about to send the Call."

 

"Cancelled??"

As they both crashed, him into his chair and she sliding down the wall behind her their friend sighed.

"There was a family emergency, he had to leave," he explained. "Of course, he trusted me to let everyone know and most everyone turned on their heel and left. But not that one..." he pointed his finger over his shoulder where the forth person in the room was seated at their computer. They briefly raised a hand in greeting.

"I'd rather take the time to get this assignment finished and handed in, it's responsible!"

"Yes, but it means I now need to stay and babysit you," the third member of their group huffed. "You know Teach gave me the room's key right?"

"Of course he did, you're the only one of us in this year who is actually responsible," was the answer.

"I suppose we could do the same, just to make it so that you're not looking after just one person?" and their female friend was standing now. "I mean, maybe it's not what we'd rather do right now, but it couldn't hurt to get something out of the way right?"

"You go ahead," he stood now. "I'm out of here... think I burst a lung with all that running."

As he turned towards the door though, suddenly the lights ahead flickered briefly, causing all four of them to look up.

"Well, that wasn't creepy at all."

As they continued to look, the lights flickered again; then kept flickering. It wasn't the type of flicker you regularly got with these cheap school tube lights though, it seemed to have a regular pattern and they all felt a chill going down their back. Something was happening...

"Look!"

A cry from over by the computer and they all ran over to look at the screen. In the centre was... something. It was pixellated and circular and grey, but it seemed to be getting clearer all the time, the clarity going down the image in lines as if it was on an older Internet page on dial-up Internet. It also seemed to be growing larger too...

"I don't like this!"

"Turn off the computer?"

"No wait, I want to see! HEY!"

There was a little pushing as the girl tried to stop her friend from reaching the wall socket to try and turn off the computer at the wall, while the other two sat there transfixed by strange graphic, all four now failing to register that the lights seemed to be spending more time off than on. The room also seemed to be filling with a low rumbling sound.

"What's happening?"

 

"I can hear them!"

"Yes. Those are your humans. Your partners. Your friends."

 

"Did I hear a voice then?"

"Over this racket??"

"MOVE OVER!"

"NO!"

The rumbling was now filling their ears, the monitor the only constant light source in the room as the lights went crazy around them.

"Wait, can I see an eye??"

At that the squabble over the wall socket was forgotten, as startled everyone looked at the monitor and the grey image which now seemed to be a hole onto something else entirely... And something was looking at them.

CRRRRRR-KKK!

A mighty crackle suddenly sounded, and all four of them jumped back from the computer which suddenly shut down into complete darkness as the lights also cut out entirely. There was a startled exclamation as the one of them who had been seated leant back too far in his shock and overbalanced completely, falling over. After a second a female voice came out of the darkness.

"What... what just happened?"

"... I think the power's cut out."

A pause.

"No, I mean the ey-"

"It was pixelly. We imagined it."

More silence. Then:

"I think maybe we should go. Before someone comes looking for what just tripped the fuses off and thinks it was us."

"Agreed."

There was the sound of footsteps, a muttered curse as someone ran into a desk in the dark, then a little light as the door was flung open and natural sunlight from the corridor's window entered the room. The four friends quickly exited, and after the door was locked, they left.

 

"Wh-what?"

"Where's...? What happened?"

"The Call..." and the four young Digimon had never heard their Guardian sounding so terrified. "This cannot... I have never before..."

"You're scaring me..."

"... The Call was missed."

 

And just like that, their destinies were once again unclear.


	2. Delayed Response

_Eight Years Later..._

 

As she came to the gate, she stopped a moment and looked up at the big sign over the front entrance. Just the same as she remembered it, but now a fine layer of dust and grime covered the once white background and curling red letters of the school's logo. In her opinion, it needed a damn good wash. But then, looking around at the rest of the building so did a lot of the school. Not even the windows were sparkling anymore. The headmaster when she'd gone here would never have allowed such a thing to happen.

How times changed.

She pushed through the small side gate that had been left unlocked and began the walk towards the smaller building to the right-hand side of the main school. It'd been just a year brand new when she'd come here, and still didn't look too bad. Obviously some of the same general grime coated its windows as well, but in comparison to the original school which was coming up to nearly a hundred years old now it was positively scrubbed. It was here that she'd be working now, her first long-term adult job ever... as a teaching assistant.

Cerys had never wanted to go into teaching as a child. No, she'd always wanted to travel the world - learn of different cultures, experience the different ways people lived, learn their languages and come to a greater understanding of the world as a whole. Unfortunately during her university days the global economy had suffered a downturn and her generation were stuck with dreams that were less attainable now than when they'd been younger. So, she was working to save up for that first trip. Sure, it was only to North America, but she needed to start somewhere right?

Besides, there were a lot more cats and dogs and other animals out there to meet and she wanted to meet them. Possibly pet them too, if they'd allow it.

As she walked down the empty corridor her footsteps echoed down it, just emphasizing to her how empty the build was and how alone she was right now. Not that being alone frightened her anymore, it was normal. It was safe. She'd long since learned to find comfort in the quiet that came from social isolation from peers who only wanted to drink themselves to oblivion...

A shiver ran down her spine.

She stopped, confused. There was no one else here yet... she looked around and the only door was one that she recognised. The old computer room. Why should that make her feel so unnerved? She hesitated then slowly approached the door, taking the handle gently and pulling it open. Just to be sure.

The room was empty of people, and from the looks of it in the midst of an upgrade. The displays from years before were already gone, and she winced as she saw one sticking out of a rubbish bag in the corner, unceremoniously crammed in with the rest. The monitors in here were obviously brand new, none as of yet plugged in and all still wearing their plastic covers to keep them dust-free and clean. Modern, small and sleek. Only one of the older monitors remained, and it'd been pushed into the corner. Somehow though, she felt her eye being drawn to it. Why?

 

"I feel... is that really her...?"

 

She began to approach the old monitor, and saw that it was still connected to a computer block - the same one that she remembered seeing all the older screens being connected to. Obviously this one was the last one to have given up the ghost in the room, or else the school had ordered an entire new set of modern PCs and this was just the last to be gotten rid of. Shoved into the corner until someone could take it away and recycle it, unplugged and ignored...

So why did she see light against the wall that the monitor was facing?

 

"I do feel her! Her energy! She's come for me at last!"

 

She grabbed the monitor and in one quick motion spun it to face her. It was indeed lit, switched on and looking as she remembered it doing so from years ago. And the smudge of pixels in the centre made her freeze as the memory came crashing back into her mind.

_"It was pixelly. We imagined it."_

Well Cerys was pretty damn sure that she wasn't imagining it this time, not as the smudge grew larger and once again became clearer. The desktop was rapidly being engulfed by it as once again the hole opened up in the centre, so much swifter this time than she remembered it happening before...

 

"I'M HERE! I'M HERE! Let me go through oh sweet Sovereign, she's here for me! LET ME THROUGH!"

 

BAM!

Cerys was blown backwards off her feet, smashing into the desk behind her and falling to the floor as the monitor exploded outwards, plastic casing and glass flying across the room. As she tried to clear her vision of the flashing lights that the fall had filled her vision with, she felt something land on her stomach. Then something much larger landed on her chest and she became aware of two large blue eyes staring into hers.

"... It **is** you!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

Cerys startled as she realised that the eyes and the voice belonged to what appeared to be a living flame, once again smacking her head against the desk and automatically curling in on herself to hold her bruised head, throwing the little creature to the floor. It didn't seem to take it personally though, bouncing up and down in excitement.

"I knew you'd come! I told them! I told them you'd come eventually!"

She slowly looked at the little fireball now doing small bounding circles on the rug. Those big blue eyes took up a lot of what could be thought of as its face, two tiny trickles of fire at the front like tiny little hands. A big mouth cut down the lower part of its 'face', with a series of three stitches on each side that she assumed must be to stop it splitting itself in half whenever it got too excited. Which from the few minutes she'd known it, seemed to be all the time.

"What... what **are** you?" she asked.

"I'm a PetitMeramon!" the fireball replied, stopping its excited dancing to face her. "And not just any PetitMeramon. I'm your PetitMeramon!"

Cerys stared at the fireball. "Mine? I've never met you before in my life! Or indeed anything even remotely like you."

"You almost did, once," and now PetitMeramon was quiet and his eyes grew sad. "I wasn't meant to come through, you were supposed to come to our world. You and the other three humans."

Cerys blinked, then the memory of the first time she'd seen that pixelled smudge appear once again came back to her. And she understood.

"That time when the power went, eight years ago," she said, getting into a sitting position with PetitMeramon before her. "You mean... we were being summoned for something?"

"Yes," PetitMeramon nodded. "I come from a digital world. A world of life that evolved from the data you humans made. But sometimes it gets threatened, and that's when we need humans. You seem to trigger some powerful effect in us Digimon, and with that we can keep everything safe. It's called the Partner Program... but when we tried to Call you it didn't work."

"The power cut out," Cerys repeated again, suddenly feeling sorry for the little Digimon before her. "I'm... sorry I missed your Call."

"It's okay!" and PetitMeramon was happy again. "I knew you'd come back for me eventually! I knew that you wouldn't abandon us, I even told the other three partner Digimon that you'd come for us!"

"Wait, there's three more of you PetitMeramon?"

"No, not PetitMeramon. I was chosen upon birth along with three others. A Chicchimon, a Wanyamon and a Kyokyomon," PetitMeramon listed off. "Of course, I was separated from them a long time ago... they're still in the Digital World but I don't know where they are now."

Cerys tried to take in all that she had just been told. Not only was there this secret world of data that she could assume had existed as long as computers, but at a younger age she'd been selected to partner one of the creatures that inhabited it? She had been chosen to be a hero, to have a partner and because of one small power cut she'd been denied the chance for so long? She wouldn't have believed it if there wasn't undeniable proof sitting in front of her, gazing up at her with big eyes full of wonder. If nothing else, she wanted to take care of this odd little fireball that insisted he was meant to be hers.

"Oh dear..."

Cerys snapped out of her thoughts, and followed the direction of PetitMeramon's eyes. The broken monitor was still gently smoking on the desktop, but fortunately not enough to have set off any fire alarms or to look in danger of catching fire. Unfortunately it had hidden the other traveler across the dimensions, and it was now moving.

"Well well, so you weren't lying after all," a croaking voice said directed towards PetitMeramon. "You really were one of the four Chosen by Clockmon to 'save the world'. Isn't it a good thing I found you in time to **stop** you before you could even get started?"

Suddenly it launched itself at Cerys, who rolled out of the way as the enemy Digimon landed where she'd been sat a second before. As she turned to look at it, she noticed that it was a lot bigger than PetitMeramon. A yellow frog-like creature with a coating of orange-brown fur, a line of razor-sharp black fins, a mouth of sharp teeth and sly-looking blue eyes. It didn't stop PetitMeramon from tackling it though, with a lot more power than she thought the little guy would be capable of. It caught the other by surprise and together they flew through a mercifully open window outside.

"PetitMeramon!" Cerys shouted, hearing her Digimon's cry of pain as the other recovered mid-air and used a back leg to slam the fireball against the ground from up high.

She scrambled to her feet, ready to run around and get outside but she heard something fall to the floor. She stopped and noticed an orb on the floor, pure white and seemingly pulsing. This must have been what had landed on her before PetitMeramon had come in for a closer look. Hearing his cry again, she scooped it up and raced around outside to try and help her new friend. After all, he was just a little guy and he was apparently hers. A partner. That meant she had to help him, right? Somehow.

Bursting through the door's main entrance she was just in time to see PetitMeramon launching himself at the other Digimon again.

" _ **Fireball!**_ "

The tiny flaming projectile flew towards the frog, but it bounced harmlessly off its tough fur coat as it curled around itself.

" _ **Spiral Edge!**_ "

It shot down towards PetitMeramon spinning to use its fins as a weapon, and PetitMeramon barely got out of the way in time. As it slammed into the ground and uncurled Cerys took her chance, sprinting towards it.

"Leave him alone!" she cried, swinging her bag at the Digimon.

The Digimon leapt out of the way, and Cerys found her bag smacking into the indent it'd left in the ground. She looked up at the Digimon, her face angry.

"I won't let you hurt him!"

It just smirked, and began to curl in on itself again. Cerys realised that she was about to get hit and this was going to hurt. Badly.

Shit.

" _ **Spiral Ed-!**_ "

A movement from the corner of her eye, PetitMeramon was attempting to stop the attack... but what could he do? Even if he took the other Digimon by surprise again, he'd never make it in time. He was just too small.

They needed a miracle.

And then as the orb in her pocket began to react and the first connection was formed between human and Digimon... they got it.

 

**PetitMeramon Shinka!**

 

Suddenly two Digimon collided in mid-air as the Spiral Edge attack descended, slamming the attacker into a tree. As the other Digimon landed Cerys couldn't believe her eyes. Instead of the blue-eyed little flame she'd met not fifteen minutes before there now stood a mammal-like creature covered in brown and blue fur, two little ears poking out from under a metallic helmet atop its head, two little tusks poking out of a short snouted mouth and two little cylindrical front legs with smoke replacing where you'd expect a similar pair of back legs to be. The eyes were still blue though, although they'd gained black pupils and white sclera now.

"And I won't let you hurt my human!" he shouted, as he snarled at his opponent.

"What the-?" Cerys managed to get out.

"Oh, didn't I mention this would happen?" and the little mammalian Digimon looked over his shoulder and looked sheepish. "Sorry, my bad. I'm Bakumon now."

"No... I was too late to stop the connection..." and the enemy was getitng back to his feet now. "But I can still kill you now and stop anymore being made!"

"Bring it you web-footed goon!"

The two Rookie level Digimon charged at each other, and exchanged blows.

" _ **Frog Kick!**_ "

Bakumon was hit with the blow and rolled backwards, but dug both his front feet into the ground and charged back at the other Digimon.

" ** _Nightmare Syndrome!_** " he cried.

The attack hit the other Digimon and there was a moment of silence, before it collapsed to the floor and began to fade away. Cerys ran over as one of Bakumon's front legs went under him, and she bent down to pick him up.

"I'm okay," he panted. "Just a little drained. It's a lot to get used to, being in a new larger form."

"That was amazing," she said to him. "And... terrifying. Is it always like this in the other world?"

"Even worse," Bakumon confessed. "You know, I evolved because of you."

"Me?"

"That's the power humans give to us. Usually this growth takes years of training and experience, but humans can trigger that spontanously in us. I've been waiting to become Bakumon for eight years... so thank you my human."

"Cerys," she corrected him, gently rubbing one of his ears. "My name is Cerys."

"Cerys," Bakumon said. "We need to find the others. The other humans, and then the other three chosen Digimon. The Digital World needs us."

Cerys paused at that. Generally the past was meant to be left behind... but she had wanted to travel hadn't she? Learn about new cultures? What could be more exciting to learn about then a culture that was populated by sentient monsters made of data?

"Okay Bakumon," she said. "But we don't have long. I need to be back here in a few weeks to start my new job."

"We'd better get started then."


	3. Moving Onwards

"I thought we were in a hurry...?"

Cerys looked up from the forms she was meticulously filling in over to her new partner. They had retreated inside to a nearby classroom after the battle and because Bakumon was still a little woozy from his sudden growth in size, power and the amount of legs he had, Cerys had carried him inside. He was the size of a small dog but fortunately not as squirmy and so Cerys had popped him down into one of the school desks in the front while she sorted out what she'd actually come to the school for. That and a quick trip back to the computer room to remove all the evidence of the digital emergence. With the burst monitor and burned out computer block now lodged in a large wheely bin out back and the majority of the plastic and glass shards cleared up, no one would ever know what had occurred here. Well, except the impact marks in the grass outside and any sizeable animal could have made those. Now Bakumon was flopped over the desk, resting both his stubby front legs and head onto the wooden table part as he dramatically made it clear that he was bored. She shook her head, good-naturedly.

"I told you, I have responsibilities to take care of first," she replied. "I'd love to say that I heard you all the way from my house and came looking, but I didn't have any feeling that something was up until I saw that old computer again."

"What's a 'responsibility'?"

"It's... well, it's something that someone trusts you to do and will get mightily annoyed if you don't," Cerys said, trying to explain it.

"Well, then you've one to my world to find the other humans quickly," Bakumon muttered. "And I'll be the annoyed one if you don't."

"Patience," Cerys sighed. "Besides, even if we did find them how do we get back? You broke the machine emerging and I've never seen any other computer that had that strange portal appear in it, and certainly never one that spat out two living creatures."

Bakumon paused, and twisted his mouth in a grimace of befuddlement and guilt.

"Without Clockmon I had to try to brute force my way to you," he muttered in a small voice. "He vanished a long, long time ago. Even before the other Digimon did. I didn't have a choice."

"I know, but just try and rack your brains to see if you recall anything that could allow us to travel back there," Cerys encouraged him. "While I finish my forms!"

Bakumon snorted, but he lifted his head off the table and closed his eyes tightly to think. Cerys smiled and looked back down to her forms, printing her answers in black ink. After a little more scribbling, she put the lid back on her pen.

"Okay, I'm done!" she said, pushing her chair back and standing. "Just need to drop this into the office and then we can go."

"Finally!" Bakumon said, as he scrambled up onto the table in front. "I was falling asleep."

"You were meant to be thinking."

"I do a lot of thinking while I sleep!" the Digimon protested, as he leapt to the floor and Cerys let him precede her out into the corridor.

"You'll have to be careful when we leave the building Bakumon," she said as they made their way towards the office. "Just as I was, the general population aren't aware of there being a digital world beyond our own. Unlike me, they won't think twice about possibly threatening you."

"I can fight them."

"Don't..." Cerys sighed. "The less attention we draw the better. The search will go faster that way."

"There were others you know," Bakumon said. "Before your turn in the Partner Program, humans had been called before... at least that's what I was told. I don't know anything about them though. Or how long ago it was."

"Might have been a while ago," Cerys agreed.

"I'm ashamed to say I don't even remember the faces of the other three humans this time round, I just kept your face in my mind as my human... and even that's changed a bit."

"It was eight years ago, I was barely a teenager back then," Cerys explained, as she dropped the form into a box just inside the office door and then locked the door shut with a key. "I've grown up. I'm a young adult now."

"... What's a 'teenager'?"

"Kind of like one of your evolution stages, but more of an in-between state between two of them."

"Oh... ew."

"You have no idea Bakumon..."

 

Coming to the door, Cerys quietly unlocked it and gently opened it to check who might be inside. There was no sign of anyone downstairs and from the lack of sound, it was probably fair to assume no one was upstairs either. Still, no point in taking chances. She slipped inside as silently as she could, closing the door with the merest click and hanging up her coat before walking down the corridor towards her bedroom which fortunately had been moved downstairs last year. When she got inside, she locked the door and ran over to the window, pushing it open.

"It's safe, come on Bakumon," she beckoned to the head peering around the corner of the house.

Bakumon nodded and scurried forward, almost tripping in his hurry but managing not to go down into the grass on his nose. When he reached the window he gave a little leap and landed on the sill, Cerys gave him a hand to get through and he was inside.

"I'm still not used to having legs," he muttered, examining one. "Walking's fine but the jumping might take a while..."

"You'll be used to it in no time," she assured him, as she switched on her desktop computer. "Now, where would I have put that book?"

"Book?" Bakumon asked, as he watched Cerys dive into a wardrobe and begin to remove stacks of papers and notepads.

"An address book," Cerys clarified. "My mother was always insistent that we should keep the simpler ways of life alive... even if technology is much more convenient right now..."

"Well, you won't hear any argument from me on that."

"Ah!" Cerys pulled out a small red book and flipped it open to a page. "There we go!"

She placed it down on the desk next to her computer and began to opening up webpages. Bakumon climbed up onto another nearby chair and looked at the place the book was open at, and a pair of circled names with numbers near them.

"Are these their names?" he asked.

"Two of them," Cerys agreed with a grin, pointing to the first. "Kell was the light-hearted one of us. He never seemed to get worked up or panicked about anything, and for some reason he never seemed to put anything off either. Responsible guy. And that," she pointed to the other. "Is the full name of Lewis, the more mature half of the twin set we knew. Teachers could always trust him with important things because he got them done, unlike his brother Jordan who was a bit of a joker."

Bakumon nodded. "I see, I see."

"Hm... according to their social network pages..." Cerys let the sentence drop as she continued to click open tabs. "There, Kell doesn't live too far away. Lewis though moved to another town with his family years ago; we'd be in for a much longer trip."

"What about the third one though?" Bakumon asked.

Cerys flinched, as she remembered that the last person in the room with them that day had been...

 

_"How could you do this to me??"_

 

"Cerys?"

 

_"You've just been using me all this time, you... you bitch!!"_

 

"I know," Cerys muttered. "Don't worry, I know where he lives. I think we should go find Kell first though."

Bakumon looked confused at Cerys' sudden drop in mood, but he nodded clearly not wanting to ask what it was. As she stood and switched the computer off, Cerys briefly hooked her thumb under the page and turned it so that the last circled name in the book was just visible in the shadow of the page above.

 

_"Why're you circling it Cerys?"_

_"Because you're my friend! My longest and bestest friend!"_

_"Eesh, you know that stuff's just for kids..."_

_"Deny it though."_

_"I couldn't, it's true really."_

 

Yeah... it had been true. Once.

How times changed.


	4. A True Self Appears

Cerys looked out of the window at the houses passing by as the bus drove down the road. It all seemed vaguely familiar to her, and she vaguely recalled a time when she was 6 and her mother drove her to a birthday party down here for some child in her class. Who that child had been she didn't even remember now, but it was the first time she'd ever got to try vanilla ice cream.  
  
Hopefully she'd be able to find which house was Kell's, she'd never actually visited him at home before. Hopefully he wouldn't also think her story completely out there or freak out at the sight of Bakumon. She'd had to bring him along because it was easier to get someone to believe in monsters when you had one with you... even if it'd required her to stuff him into the biggest shoulder bag she had without much room to move. He'd not been pleased about it but fortunately was keeping quiet while they were riding the bus. She'd let him out when they arrived to stretch... it was just a shame he couldn't go back a step now.

  
  
_"What do you mean you can't become PetitMeramon again? I thought it'd be your default form given it's been eight years since you hatched... I mean, at least given what you told me before."_  
  
_"I know but we're together now. The partner bond's been formed between us and this_ is _my default form now."_

  


She still didn't really understand this whole 'partner bond' thing herself. All she knew is that Bakumon had seemingly burst from a computer, used to be a fireball, and he had been waiting for her for a very, very long time. He said she'd been 'chosen' as a human partner, but that'd been when she was so much younger. Could she really do this now she was so much more... adult?

Speaking of things coming out of the computer... she remembered the white orb she'd picked up before rushing out to help out against that other Digimon. She put her hand into her coat pocket, feeling for it. Yet the only thing in the pocket didn't feel that round? She grabbed it and pulled it out, revealing a small watch-like device with a purple strap. Blinking on the screen was a rough digital approximation of what looked like Bakumon's head.

Was _this_ part of the partner bond too?

"Devilin Avenue!" she heard the driver call from up front.

"Psst, that's us isn't it?" she heard Bakumon whisper from the bag which was on the seat next to her.

She didn't reply, swinging the bag up to her shoulder in a smooth motion and hearing her partner's yelp as he slapped into her side. She chose to pretend she hadn't heard it, walking forward as some of the other passengers gave her a strange look. As the bus slid to a stop she quickly hopped down to the pavement, giving a quick "Thanks!" to the driver before setting off down the street at a speed that was fast but didn't make her look panicked. She could feel Bakumon shifting around inside the bag.

"How much longer?" he asked. "Legs aren't as much fun when you're sat on them!"

"Almost there," she hissed quietly to him. "Stay still a bit longer. I'll let you out when we're alone with Kell."

"Well hurry... I think they've fallen off."

She chose to ignore him, quickly going around a corner and down the street that at the end should have the house that her old friend lived in. The street was a dead-end according to the map she'd looked up online, and from the streetview function she had identified what she'd guessed to be his house. She could just about see it now as she quickly approached its front garden. The driveway was empty right now, as Kell's siblings and parents would be out for the moment in the middle of the day. She just hoped that he at least would be home, it'd not only save her going back into town to try and find a sign of him, it'd also be easier on poor Bakumon. Last thing she needed was him to burst out of the bag because he couldn't take it anymore and cause a panic. She had a feeling that the authorities would not look so favourably on the strange monster and despite all the trouble he was putting her through for a world she'd not even seen yet, she didn't really feel compelled to give him up to anyone.

Maybe that was part of this bond as well. Maybe Bakumon had her under some form of mind control right now... but surely she could tell if she was right? She didn't feel light-headed or anything.

Lost in thought she almost walked into the gate of Kell's supposed house and she had to quickly pull herself up short, feeling Bakumon shift slightly in case he needed to make a quick exit of the bag to land clear of her if she fell backwards. She rested her hand on it to assure him that it was okay, but when she looked up she could have sworn she saw a downstairs curtain twitch at the window as someone ducked behind it.

"Bakumon," she muttered. "Could any other Digimon have followed you besides that first one?"

"Gizamon was the only one near me when I heard you coming back," Bakumon replied. "I wouldn't rule it out though, if they found another way to this world. It's supposed to be very hard though."

Cerys frowned, looking at the front door ahead. "Just be ready in case, I've got a feeling that we're about to get a surprise."

The zipper undid slightly and she looked down to see her Digimon's determined face nod back at her, understanding and ready. She heaved the bag properly onto her shoulder, leaving the slight opening clear just in case. She then undid the gate and walk down it in a few strides, taking the metal knocker in her hand and rapping it against the door.

RAP. RAP. RAP.

As she stood there she heard a door opening slowly inside, from the direction of the room that window was part of. The footsteps inside were unsure and hesitant, but eventually Cerys saw a figure on the other side of the door through the frosted glass and she prepared herself to talk. However, when the door opened the person on the other side was not the person she had expected, but instead a tall brown-skinned young woman who for some reason looked really nervous. She at least physically resembled Kell though, so at least she knew this was the right house.

"Oh... erm, hi," she muttered, in a quiet voice that was slightly too high to be natural. Another sign of something being off.

"Oh hello," Cerys began. "I'm sorry I've come here looking for a friend... I'm looking for Kell, have you...?"

She stopped mid-sentence as she saw the woman's face twitch, the nervous expression turning into one of fear and anger before it settled back down into a restrained one. She took a deep breath in through her nose.

"My name is _Kala_."

Cerys blinked, confused for a second. It was only after a moment that it clicked. This woman didn't _resemble_ her friend, she was...

"Oh I'm so sorry!" she cried putting a hand over her mouth, all thoughts of a Digimon ambush forgotten. "I haven't seen you in a while and I... I wasn't aware."

"I'm... it's okay," Kala sighed, her voice now a tiny bit deeper than the high voice she'd been putting on. "I realise that you wouldn't have known, it was after we... But I wasn't happy, I was always supposed to be a girl."

Cerys nodded, her mind beginning to catch back up with her. "If you're happier."

"So much. You've no idea how..." Kala stopped herself. "I'm just used to dealing with people who persist in the deadnaming me. Who can't move on. Speaking of moving on, why are you...?"

It was at this point that Bakumon, having heard the alarm in Cerys' voice before and not quite following the conversation decided that it was time to get ready for a fight. The zipper flew open and both women's eyes flew to the bag as he stuck his head out.

"Fight me you evil-!"

He was cut off as Cerys tried to push him back inside, but it was too late and Kala gave a terrified yelp, falling back into her house and against the stairs.

"What is that thing?!" she cried.

Cerys followed inside, closing the door to and letting Bakumon up as he wiggled and protested. He popped back out and glared at her, and she returned it.

"Well done, I wanted the reveal to be behind closed doors Bakumon!"

"You told me to be ready for trouble!" the Digimon protested. "So I was ready!"

Cerys just gave a weary sigh, lowering the bag to the floor so Bakumon could get out of the bag. Kala moved a little way up the stairs, still slightly shocked but curiosity plain on her face too.

"I'll ask you again, what is that?"

"Ke-Kala, meet Bakumon," Cerys said, as Bakumon began to stretch out his legs and misty cloud. "Believe it or not, those calls to action you see on the cartoons as tv shows actually happen. And we were supposed to be a part of one about eight years ago."

"Only you missed the call," Bakumon supplied helpfully.

"What does he have to do with a call to action?" Kala asked.

"Bakumon says that he comes from the world that sent the call, and it's filled with other monsters like himself. He might be telling the truth, I've seen another, it followed him through the portal."

"I am telling the truth!"

"Yes, I know you are Bakumon... Anyway, seems that the four of us humans who were chosen actually were meant to be partnered with a 'Digital Monster' each and form some sort of a bond," Cerys stopped as Kala reacted to that with a widening of the eyes. "However, time passed over there like it did here. Bakumon was the only one left when I happened to return to the computer lab and he came to me. The other three monsters, including your own are still missing in action."

"The Digital World needs us," Bakumon said. "I stayed by the portal day after day, waiting for when Cerys would return to find me. Now I'm with her, we can finally start what we were meant to be doing years ago - fighting to save my world."

He locked eyes with Kala, staring her down. Kala to her credit seemed a lot less freaked out now that she'd gotten over the surprise of a talking digital mammal bursting out of her friend's bag like that. Slowly she stood and came down the stairs.

"You're telling me there's an entire world full of monsters that needs our help?" she asked.

"Yes," Cerys nodded. "Or so he says, and I believe him. Look," and she pulled out the watch from earlier. "Somehow this appeared when Bakumon came out of the computer to me. I think it's meant to symbolise this bond between partners he keeps telling me about."

Bakumon nodded. "That Digital Device is the physical representation of our partner bond Cerys. When you defended me against Gizamon and I needed to save you back, we formed a connection. Our lives are linked now through it, allowing us to work together in better harmony."

"When we get to know each other sure," Cerys sighed, pocketing the Digital Device again. "Give it time and I'm sure we'll be great together."

As Bakumon smiled and gave an enthusiastic nod, Kala laughed.

"I must be dreaming here, but if I am it's a lovely one!" she admitted. "A world of monsters, a call to adventure and the promise of my own personal creature who will be my friend and a connection through which we have a great understanding of each other? Sure, count me in!"

"Really?" Cerys said, in relief. "I was sure it'd take much longer than this to persuade you this wasn't some big joke."

"I'm still not sure if it's not," Kala replied. "But Bakumon looks at you as if you're the greatest thing in the world Cerys and... well, I'd love to have someone love me unconditionally like that."

Cerys nodded, as Kala looked away awkwardly. Bakumon wandered over and nuzzled against the side of her leg happily.

"I like you Kala," he said. "Your Digimon will be so lucky to have you with them too!"

Kala blushed slightly, and Cerys snorted.

"Can we stop here for a few minutes?" she asked. "Only Bakumon spent a lot of time cooped up inside my bag and I don't want to stuff him back in quite yet."

"Yeah, we've got an hour," Kala agreed. "I'll get us some juice."

 

As she began to prepare herself to leave Cerys gave a small sigh. As Lewis lived a long way away they'd decided to go for him last, which meant that the next person they needed to go after was... well, him.

"Let me guess, we're going to see your best friend next?"

Cerys turned to see Kala standing there, a knowing smile on her face. The casual pose was her old friend all over and Cerys couldn't see how she'd ever not recognised her even in a form she hadn't quite expected when she'd knocked at the door. Kala just looked and felt so right and Cerys knew that the transition had been great for her self-esteem.

"I've not spoken to him since that incident," she replied. "It's why we came here first... I didn't think I could handle seeing him with just Bakumon as back-up."

"I'll stand with you," Kala said, resting a reassuring hand upon the other girl's arm. "He was an ass to treat you like that... I mean I knew it back then and now it's even more clear that he was being an idiot."

"It'll be hard," Cerys said. "But as you said, Bakumon really adores me. For him, I'll do it. To save his world."

"You always did have a soft spot for animals," Kala laughed. "Not that you could really call him an animal... not when he speaks so well."

"AAHHHHHH WHAT ARE YOU? GET OFF ME YOU CLAWED CREATURE!"

Both girls turned around quickly, only to see Bakumon being chased into the kitchen from the back garden by Kala's cat. By the time he reached Cerys and flopped at her feet the feline had lost interest and both girls were laughing.

"Of course, he's not immune to animal attentions either way."

"Oh shut up, it's not that funny..." Bakumon muttered darkly.

 


	5. All That You Left Behind

"So you're sure he'll be down here?"  
  
"I'd be surprised if he wasn't, he has worked here for the last two years."  
  
Cerys rolled her eyes at Kala in frustration. "You know I've not been back in town that long. And anyway, he's not  exactly someone I was still in contact with even when I left for university..."  
  
Kala nodded. "I understand that. He was an ass that last time..."  
  
Cerys nodded, trying not to think of that evening. The last time she'd seen the face of her former best friend.  
  
  
_"I thought I meant something!"_  
  
_"You do... Connell, you're the best friend I have!"_  
  
_"Oh, so that's it right? Friendzoning me? After how you've teased me for so long? How could you do this to me??"_  
  
_"I... what? I haven't..."_  
  
_"You've just been using me all this time, you... you bitch!!"_  
  
  
She'd left after that, catching a bus back home. It'd been the last time she'd seen the boy called Connell Tyson... or indeed anyone from this old town that she'd used to hang around with. Even Kala... and she looked guiltily at her old friend, now descending the stairs into the train station's underground platform. Until Bakumon she hadn't even given a thought to her 'old' life, everything she'd left behind when she moved away for her studies.  
  
"Cerys," and Bakumon was whispering from the bag again. "Won't you lose your friend if you don't follow soon?"

Cerys nodded wearily. "Yeah. Yeah... sorry, I was just thinking about some... things."

"What things?"

"Just the past. And regrets."

"Oh." the Digimon fell silent then and Cerys was secretly glad. How do you explain something when you don't quite understand it yourself?

She came down to the bottom of the steps and scanned the crowds for Kala, scowling as she realised that she had actually lost her. Typical, she never was good at spotting someone in a crowd without someone actually waving at her.

She took a step forward, feeling Bakumon's weight in the bag as he shifted slightly inside. She entered into a crowd, moving through gaps until she could get off to one side just before the computerised ticket machines, still looking around for Kala... although truth be told Kala's new look wasn't exactly memorised yet. As if she needed this to be anymore difficult.

"I should have gotten her new number," she muttered to herself, remembering that she'd tried to call Kala's phone before heading over to her house but had found the number was no longer in use. "Good going Cerys..."

"Hey, move!"

Cerys was rudely interrupted from her searching as a group of young men suddenly barged past, exiting the station and attempting to bypass the crowd by going through the relatively empty space around the ticket machines. Only Cerys was on one side of that space and one of the men had obviously decided that he and his friends needed all the space and had shoved past. Startled and surprised, Cerys flailed her arms about as she stumbled backwards towards the ticket machine behind her, Bakumon's yelp of alarm fortunately covered up by the noise of the crowd in the entryway to the station. She felt herself slam her back and head into the machine and the noise made a nearby staff member look around in alarm at the crack. As he advanced towards the group of men, Cerys rubbed her head, gritting her teeth and muttering curse words under her breath.

"That's no way to treat a lady young man!"

"I didn't touch her man!"

"She didn't fall over herself you know. And the cost of fixing that machine's gonna be paid by you too, you're in a lot of trouble!"

"I'm telling you man, I didn't touch her! She fell over herself!"

Cerys suddenly became aware that the fuzzy static noise she'd thought was a result of the bang to her head was actually coming from behind her. She pushed herself off the machine and turned round to see that the ticket machine was all glitched out, the screen flashing random colours and tearing itself side to side as if it was suffering from a bad television signal. She'd never seen anything like it before in her life...

"Are you okay?"

She spun around to see that the staff member had come up to her, other members of staff behind him taking the group of men off to one side. She nodded.

"Yeah, just a bit of a bump."

He nodded. "Don't worry about the ticket machine. It wasn't your fault that it broke."

Cerys just nodded again, and as the conversation seemed to be over she walked back into the crowd. It was only then that she realised that the creature in her bag seemed... very stiff for some reason. She made it to the other side of the room and slipped her hand into the bag, feeling that although Bakumon was warm he was very tensed up for some reason. At her touch though he seemed to instantly relax again, as if a string had just been cut. He did sag a little though.

"Bakumon?" she hissed, as she made a show of ducking down to sort things out in her bag.

"Ce-Cerys?" Bakumon sounded confused. "I... everything just went all square... it was strange. I've never felt... no, I have felt that before."

"... Was it the ticket machine?"

"I don't know," he confessed to her. "But that felt so familiar... why?"

He closed his eyes in thought and Cerys stared at him for a second, before she realised someone was calling her name. She quickly scooped her bag up, throwing the top flap over the opening and ignoring Bakumon's cry of protest at having his thinking time so rudely interrupted. As she tried to rearrange her face into an expression that wasn't so startled, she sighed in relief as she realised it was Kala calling and that the other woman was approaching her.

"There you are!" she cried. "I thought you were right behind me."

"Yeah, kind of lost sight of you on the stairs," Cerys confessed. "Then I got into a bit of trouble with some guys and..." she went to point to the ticket machine that had been malfunctioning but to her surprise from where she was now it looked like it was working again? Odd.

Kala didn't seem to notice her confusion. "Anyway, I found him. He was quite happy to see me until I mentioned your name..."

"... Yeah. I bet," Cerys muttered. "Come on, take me to him and we'll get this over with. If Bakumon's right we need all four of us as well as the Digimon to actually achieve our goal."

"If possible," Bakumon added from the bag.

Kala gave a grimace of 'this is going to be fun!' to Cerys and the two began the walk through the station to where Connell was apparently working as a station attendant now, giving out travel information and tickets to trains.

Well now he was about to join them on the journey of a lifetime. Even if they had to force him along with them.


	6. Travelling

They had eventually cornered Connell in a small staff office as he took his lunch break. He immediately said that he didn't want to say anything to Cerys, so Kala had done most of the talking as Cerys had felt too awkward to say anything. Of course, she chipped in every now and then to add details to the explanation. Upon the end of it Connell had blinked a few times before he gave a disdainful snort. He accused Cerys of trying to make a fool out of him again, and said that she'd somehow gotten Kala roped into the little trick as well to lend it credibility. He said that there was no way he was going to believe in any 'chosen ones' thing or that monsters existed outside of science fiction...

Bakumon stealing his sandwich from his hand changed his mind on that front though.

Now it was evening and the four of them were on a late train, traveling towards a town from which they'd get another train to fetch the last member of their chosen party tomorrow. They had planned to rent rooms in a small hotel near their stop tonight, with Cerys and Kala sharing a two bed room and Connell in a small single room. Now though he sat across from Kala staring out of the window moodily as Cerys fed Bakumon with the remains of a shop-bought sandwich she'd picked up before they'd climbed aboard. They'd been fortunate enough to find a carriage empty of anyone else and despite Cerys and Kala's protests of being seen Bakumon had insisted that he be allowed out of the bag for a while.

"It's okay for you to say I should remain hidden, but you're not the ones with dead legs!"

"I can't believe this..." Connell muttered angrily. "This is completely ridiculous. Why do we have to go save this other world anyway?"

"Because we were chosen," Cerys replied, not looking at him still. "We just happened to miss the Call the first time. I'm certainly going to try, I owe it to Bakumon."

"Fine, you go, leave us out of it!" he snapped. "Why can't you get someone else to come help you? Someone you didn't stab in the back?"

Kala scowled at him, but he ignored it as he continued to glare at Cerys who continued to ignore him even as Bakumon shrunk under Connell's sight.

"I've bonded with Bakumon," and Cerys held up her arm where she'd strapped on her Device. "Needless to say I think that we four are the only four who CAN bond with a Digimon at this moment. So like it or not Connell, you too will have a Digimon of your own and you will Bond with them and you'll have to like it."

"This sort of stuff doesn't happen in the real world!"

"Well it can and it is," and Cerys finally turned to look Connell in the eye. "So sit down and shut up. For once you've got more to worry about than trying to persuade your friend to bang you!"

Connell's mouth opened as he tried to form words, but instead he growled and stormed out of the carriage, angrily stabbing the button and leaving. Kala watched him go and then turned to Cerys, who had returned her attention to Bakumon who was still flattening himself to the table.

"A bit harsh," she said.

"It's true though, he only cared about me when he thought I'd eventually go out with him," Cerys sighed, as she tried to relax herself. "We've got bigger things to worry about now. We did from the second this 'Clockmon' tried to Call us eight years ago..."

"You said that he was the one who was in charge of this Partner Program?"

Bakumon nodded. "He chose us at birth, took care of us as we grew... but then when the Call didn't work suddenly he was spending a lot of time researching. Then he left to do something and we never saw him again... the four of us had to run away then to not be captured but in the process i lost the others." His eyes began to swim as he remembered. "Kyokyomon vanished first, then Wanyamon and finally Chicchimon... I've not seen them for so long. I just... sat there by the portal, waiting for a sign. Waiting for Cerys to come back and learning how to use the portal machines... avoiding detection and when I felt her I..." he paused, then suddenly with a scrambling got to his feet. "That's it! That's why it felt so familiar!"

"Wait, what?" Kala asked.

"The machine!" Bakumon said, leaping up at Cerys and resting his front feet on her breastbone. "Do you remember? The ticket machine made me go all funny! The feeling was like the one I got when I came through the portal!"

"Wait, do you mean that it was trying to pull you back to your world?" Cerys asked, resting her hands on either side of his body.

Bakumon nodded. "And that means..."

"... As long as we have you, we can get into your world!" Cerys cried.

Bakumon nodded, a big grin on his face. Cerys grinned back at him and Kala watched as the Digimon danced about the table happily.

"What's this all about?" she asked, unable to keep from smiling too.

"Bakumon's emergence kind of... erm, broke the computer," Cerys explained. "We've been wondering how we'd get back to the Digital World after we gathered everyone together. Now it seems we might have a way."

"Ah!" and Kala's eyes sparkled in understanding. "I can't wait. I wonder which of your three friends I'm supposed to bond with Bakumon?"

"I'm not sure, I only remembered Cerys' face," Bakumon confessed. "I'm sure that you'd be a good match for any of them though. We just have to find them first."

"Well, with an idea of how we'll get to your world, it's full steam ahead I guess."


	7. Limit

Bakumon's good mood lasted the rest of the evening. Even Connell's return later didn't seem to make any dent on it, although it quickly soured Cerys' good mood and she took to her phone to continue to ignore him; moving to one end of the carriage when it turned out that Bakumon was making her screen go all funny as well. For once the clingy little Digimon didn't seem to notice, getting fascinated by the world outside the window. Fortunately by this point it was so dark that anyone who happened to have seen him at the window would have sworn it was just their imagination. Kala did need to yank him down under the seat once though when they pulled into a station along the way that actually had a late-night police officer walking the platform. Cerys gave her a friend a nod of thanks and eventually Bakumon was let back onto the table and Kala took her seat back across from Connell who had buried his head into a large newspaper that someone had left on the seat by him earlier that day.  
  
Eventually they reached their station and as Bakumon reluctantly returned to the bag, they began the journey through the ticket barriers and to the small hotel a few minutes down the road. The reception area was quiet when they entered and the man behind the reception half-asleep, jumping when Connell chimed the bell. After confirming their booking he handed over the keys and sat back down on his chair, resting his elbow onto the desk and his chin in his hand so he could resume his half-sleep state. The girls left Connell to climb the stairs behind them, as his room was on the floor above and they entered a corridor paneled in wood and with worn and decade-old diamond-printed carpet until they reached their room. Kala unlocked the door for them as Cerys swung her bag around in preparation to put it down as soon as possible and release her passenger. When they were finally inside and the door closed Cerys walked over to the bed nearest the door, flopping down onto it on her back, arms spread widely.  
  
"Ah, that feels better," she sighed, as she felt the tiredness of her body almost seeping down into the mattress beneath her. "Travel takes a lot out of you... and so does finding out that another world desperately needs your help."  
  
"Multi-dimensional world travel's not much easier," Bakumon muttered as he struggled up onto the bed beside her and curled up next to his human partner.  
  
"You two," Kala said, "You've barely known each other a day and look at you. You'd swear you were made for each other... which actually I suppose you were."  
  
"Not so much made as chosen," Bakumon corrected sleepily.  
  
"It's just an expression Bakumon," Cerys muttered back.  
  
Bakumon's only reply was a grunt as he began to doze off. Cerys sat up and, getting off the bed, walked over to her case.  
  
"I might get to sleep straight away."  
  
"Yeah, even if I wasn't part of this at the beginning it has been a long day," Kala agreed as she too began to undo the zips on her bag. "What do you think Bakumon's world is like? Do you think it's like ours or... do you think gravity's weird there or something?"  
  
Cerys shrugged and looked over her shoulder to the Digimon, but a snore told them both that Bakumon had actually fallen fast asleep. She shook her head.  
  
"I don't think we'll get any answers from him tonight," she grinned.  
  
As both women laughed to each other and headed towards the bathroom to prepare themselves for bed, neither noticed as Bakumon twitched in his sleep, rolling onto his side and groaning slightly as his right front leg began to flicker and fade slightly before reverting back to normal...  
  
  
The next morning had them leaving early, with Kala eyeing up the breakfast rolls hungrily as they waited for Connell to come downstairs. Eventually she couldn't stand it anymore and by the time the third human member of their group had shown up, the transgirl had managed to hide a roll for each person and Digimon in her pockets. As they waited for the train it made a light but satisfying morning snack, Cerys having passed the forth roll inside the bag to Bakumon who nibbled upon it slowly and with gusto. Fortunately any noise that might be heard from outside was muffled by a wind that howled every now and then as it brought in rain clouds that threatened bad weather later in the day.  
  
"I hope that's not a bad omen," Kala commented as she looked up at them.  
  
"Rain, that's all we need right now," Connell muttered darkly through a mouthful of bread. "As if this situation wasn't wretched enough already..."  
  
A night of sleep didn't seem to have changed Connell's mind on this whole 'chosen one' journey, but at least now he was rested he'd stopped being as vocal about it anymore. He still didn't look at Cerys except to glare at her every now and again, but at least he was being civil to Kala again and had even been thankful when she'd passed him the roll on their walk down to the train station again.  
  
When the train pulled into the station it was already half-full and with the addition of everyone on the platform they were lucky to find a set of four seats with a table to sit themselves at. Unfortunately this did mean that all the seats around them were packed and Bakumon would need to remain in the bag to stop a carriage-wide panic spreading. At first Cerys tried to keep the bag on the table between herself and Kala but when the conductor came around to check tickets he pointed at the bag.  
  
"I'm going to have to ask you to use the racks or the shelf for your bag miss," he said. "But then, I'm not sure it'll fit on the shelf above your seats so you need to put it over there."  
  
He pointed to the back of the carriage where larger cases were stacked on a luggage rack, and Cerys gripped the strap. This is what she'd been hoping to avoid, she didn't want to be separated from Bakumon.  
  
"I... erm, yes, of course," she said, moving towards the aisle and sliding the bag along the table with her as she stood.  
  
She carried the bag and her Digimon towards the end of the carriage, hefting it up to balance it atop one of their big cases and leaning in as she made a show of checking it was pushed back against the wall.  
  
"I have to leave you over here, don't move and I'll grab you as soon as I'm able to."  
  
She heard Bakumon's squeak of protest but she quickly turned and began to walk back to her seat, looking over her shoulder at the bag as she slid back down with the others.  
  
"I hope he'll be alright."  
  
Kala tried to smile reassuringly, but it was clear that she too was a little bit concerned about leaving him even a few minutes walk away. Connell had left at that point to go scope out the shop in the next door carriage for food and drink so fortunately neither had to worry about what he might have said at that point.  
  
Fortunately most of the journey passed without incident, with the women taking it in turns to have 'bathroom trips' that would take them past the bag rack, to assure Bakumon that they were still around and to check on him. Despite his nerves about being left somewhat alone inside a bag, Bakumon too behaved quite admirably and nobody else seemed to need the bag rack during the journey so there was no incident where someone moved the bag to worry about. It wasn't until they were between their stop and the one before it that anything untoward began to happen.

Upon pulling out of every station the speakers in every carriage would crackle to life, as the conductor would read out their spiel on where the train was stopping next and where the ultimate destination was for the train at the end of the line. This time however, the crackling didn't stop and then began to drown out the voice, throwing a loud feedback down the speakers that made everyone still on the train flinch at the sound.

"Ow, that's loud!" Connell hissed.

Cerys nodded, and then realised that the display at the end of the carriage where the bag rack was located also seemed on the blink, the little orange dots flashing in uncontrolled patterns and it seemed to be worse on the side of the rack...

"Oh no..."

Just as she said that, the train suddenly shuddered to a halt and the electronics blinked off. The jolt as they fully stopped caused the bag containing Bakumon to rock and as Cerys scrambled up it slid off the rack and landed on the aisle floor, a soft "oof" coming from inside it that made some people nearby look around in confusion. Cerys fortunately got to the bag first and began to pick it up as the people around her decided that it must have been someone else...

"Bakumon?" she whispered, unzipping the bag a little to peer inside.

"I feel weird..." he muttered and now Cerys could see what had been missed the previous night. Both the little Digimon's front legs were fuzzy and fading, but as she touched him he suddenly stablised back into existence.

"You're still being pulled back aren't you?" she asked.

"... I'd suspected but hoped not," he replied. "Cerys, we need to move fast. We need to find the forth human before I can't hold myself here any longer."

Cerys nodded, and zipping up the bag again re-balanced it on top of a case just as the lights on the train began to blink back on and the speakers came to life again.

"I'm sorry folks, I do apologise for that minor technical fault. The systems seemed to have a hiccup and we came to a halt just to make sure all was safe to continue, but I can assure you that it was just a hiccup and all is fully working again now. We'll be back on our way momentarily."

"I hope so," Cerys muttered, as she patted the bag gently before going back to her seat. "We might be running out of time..."


	8. Too Soon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Little note - this chapter contains some things that people might find upsetting and/or triggering.)

After Bakumon's unwelcome news, Cerys had filled in the other two about what he had told her. While Kala nodded with understanding, Connell had shown his usual lack of care.

"If he's pulled back to this other world of his, doesn't that solve our problem?" he asked. "C'mon you two, you don't really think we'd be able to make any sort of difference, even if that hairball's telling the truth? From what you told me, he's able to fire off attacks that can kill other creatures, what the hell would a world of these things need with a couple of humans who haven't even seen each other for years?"

"You weren't there when that Gizamon came for him," Cerys said. "He used to be much smaller, a little living flame." She held up the Device on her wrist. "But somehow when we fought for each other, this thing allowed me to change his form into what he is now. As Bakumon has said, we were chosen to help and I think we might be the only ones who can help their world this time round. We have to go."

"Yeah, we were chosen eight years ago," Connell replied, slumping back in his seat and looking out of the window. "But we're not the same people we were back then Cerys... we've changed."

There was a pause. "You don't think you'll bond with your partner do you?"

"I don't even know if I have one!" he replied angrily. "This entire thing is ridiculous... it shouldn't be happening but... but it is. And I don't know what to believe anymore."

"Just believe that we're meant to go," Kala suggested. "Leave any worries about our Digimon and whether we'll connect with them until we've actually met with them."

Connell frowned again, but he didn't say anything which Cerys was secretly thankful for. She did notice though as he stared out of the window that he was gently rubbing at his wrist, feeling where his Device would sit if he had one. Maybe there was still something of the old Connell in there after all, the friend who pretended he was grown up and mature but often followed her lead when she went to go investigate something. He was right that they were chosen years ago as very different people; but underneath their current selves must remain something of what made them suitable partners. After all, even eight years later she still had managed to get PetitMeramon to evolve to Bakumon...

No, they had to go even if it was just to try to help.

 

Their journey from the train station took them far out of the town and into the countryside, towards a large farmhouse where the twins had moved years before with their family. Now walking down a long dirt track, Kala sighed.

"Why did they have to move so far out?" she muttered. "My feet are sore."

"From what I remember, Lewis was due to go to a college nearby," Connell answered. "Jordan was going to look for some work in the nearby town as well... at least that was the last thing I remember him telling me. It was a while back."

"Well, it'll be good to see them both again," Cerys said. "Only, we'll have to find a way to sneak Lewis away from Jordan so we can take him without complicating things."

The other two nodded, and they began to discuss ways and means that they might try to get Lewis to follow them. Of course, there was also the chance that in time the twins had grown apart and it might not actually be that tricky to keep them apart. All they needed to do was get somewhere they couldn't be spotted and then let Bakumon take them through the barrier. The Digimon had been strangely quiet since they had gotten off the track, despite Cerys' reassuring hand upon him every now and then. She could tell that he was desperately trying to hold himself on the wrong side of reality right now, and she hoped that Lewis would be home. They didn't have a lot of time left now and they couldn't go back to Bakumon's world with only the three human partners, especially if they were unsure if they could still be the Chosen they were meant to be eight years previous. No, they needed all four of them if they were to have the best chance of success.

"Hold on a bit longer Bakumon," she muttered to her partner. "We're at the house now."

He didn't reply with words, but she felt rather than heard his strain. She gently pet his fur as Kala knocked upon the door of the house and they waited. After a few seconds they heard footsteps and a pause as someone behind the door looked through the peephole in the door to check who was there. Cerys rested a restraining hand upon Bakumon's head automatically, despite it being totally unnecessary now as he froze and kept still as he could. There were clicks as locks on the door were opened and then it opened just a crack. Barely visible was half the face of what was obviously one of the twins they had known, his one visible brown eye clouded and troubled and under it was a dark circle. Something wasn't right.

"J-Jordan?" Connell had always been better at telling the two apart.

"What are you doing here?" Jordan's voice was a rasp, some emotion barely hidden under it that troubled them greatly to hear. This wasn't the Jordan they remembered, the joker, the one who was always laughing...

"We need to see Lewis."

The pause was longer then, and something in his eye flickered before it went dull again. They waited.

"You won't be able to see him."

"Why?" Kala asked.

Another pause. "You just won't."

"Jordan, what's wrong?" Kala asked. "Why won't you tell us...?"

"I'm fine."

Cerys doubted that, but she stepped forward. "Jordan, it's really important. Where is Lewis now?"

Jordan didn't say anything this time for almost a full half minute, making them wonder now just what was the matter. Eventually they heard Jordan sigh and his one visible eye closed in frustration.

"If you really must know, he's in the field under the tree on the hill."

"Right, thank you," and Connell began to walk towards the field.

The girls watched him go, turning back to the farmhouse's door just as Jordan slammed it closed with some force. They both exchanged a glance of concern and worry, before they moved off after Connell who had by now reached the gate. They moved through it one by one, with Cerys being the one to close it shut as the other two moved off. As she followed them up the part-gravel, part-soil path she slipped her hand back into the bag and felt her hand slip slightly through Bakumon's form before it became solid again.

"I'm sorry, I'm trying," he muttered.

"Shh, you're doing well," she assured him. "The final piece of this puzzle should be here in this field now. We'll get to go back to your world soon Bakumon, you won't have to hold on anymore."

"Please, hurry!"

Cerys nodded, although the action was not seen by her Digimon and began to move faster up the path. Connell and Kala hadn't yet reached the tree but they were close she could see. Jordan's attitude had her worried though and Connell's words about eight years being a long time that could change a person echoed in her head again. The boy she'd known in school was always laughing, always joking, never sad. He'd never been difficult, or moody and had always had a smile on his face. So just what could have happened in even the last few years since his move that had resulted in such a serious one-eighty of personality?

"NO!"

Kala's cry of distress shook Cerys from her thinking, and she could see now that both she and Connell were standing by the tree staring at something that had obviously shocked them both. Kala's hands were both doing different things, one clenched in a fist by her side and the other hovering near her mouth in horror. Connell's body language was tense and his face registering anger and surprise. Quickly Cerys began a sprint up to them; something was very, very wrong. She could feel Bakumon bouncing against her side and he reached out to unzip the bag to see what was going on, but as he did he was jolted upwards and flew out of the bag, sprawling upside down along the path as Cerys reached the base of the tree and her two friends. It was then that she felt the base fall from all of the plans she had silently been making in her head since she had met Bakumon.

"Oh... oh god no... no."

The tree was a large one, many decades old by this point and its leaves swayed in the breeze as the only other sound in this scene other than Bakumon's groan of pain. However at this point none of them were thinking of the Digimon, the Digital World or even the leaves above them...

Because all they could see was the stone cross beneath the base of the tree, just where Jordan had told them it would be.

_HERE LIES LEWIS MAYFIELD. BELOVED SON AND TWIN BROTHER._

"... We're dreaming right?"

"I wish we were."

The three of them spun around, noticing Jordan now as he came up the path behind them. Now he was outside they could see that he looked awful; clothes creased and obviously slept in, hair stuck up on end, his face smeared with tear tracks and dirt and his eyes swollen and bloodshot from not sleeping enough. He walked right past Bakumon, his eyes seemingly only seeing the tree, the cross and his three friends.

"I told you that you wouldn't be able to see him," he said, as he came to a stop in front of them. "I told you..."  
  
"Jordan... I..." Cerys tried.

"I'm sorry," Connell said, looking straight at his old friend. "Having us show up and asking for... we didn't know."

"... It was last week."

 

_It was getting late. Where was his brother? Lewis, dependable smart Lewis... it wasn't like him to be late. His mother was getting worried now._

_The phone began to ring, and his father picked it up. When he heard his father's screams of soul-wrenching agony and the choice words after that he had turned to the doorway to the passage with a sense of growing dread._

_His father never swore... his father **NEVER** swore..._

 

"A car hit him on the way back from his course," Jordan whispered, his voice catching in his throat. "He was on his bike. He didn't stand a chance... by the time the ambulance got there he was already... already dead."

"Lewis... is gone?" Kala still didn't seem to have let it sink in.

Jordan didn't reply and they all looked away, it seemed obscene to look upon his sadness, his loss and without his twin he just seemed... so alone to them. They had never seen one without the other... Lewis and Jordan had always been together and now...

"C-Cerys!"

Cerys suddenly remembered the reason why they'd come, and realising Bakumon was no longer in her bag looked around frantically, blinking through the tears threatening to break free. She saw him off the path nearby and ran over, grabbing a hold of him around the middle even as he began to fade again.

"Cerys, I can't hold on any more!" he said, in a panicked voice.

"Guys, we need to go!" Cerys said, turning to the others and walking over as well she could with Bakumon in her arms.

"B-but, Lewis..."

"We don't have time!" Cerys cried, before turning to Jordan. "I know this is a terrible time and I haven't any of it to explain this right now, but we need a forth person to come with us to save another world from danger. Will you come with us in Lewis' stead Jordan?"

"What? You can't be serious!" Connell cried. "After all that talk about us being the only people who could do this?"

"Connell, shut up! What other choice do we have right now??"

"I can't do that..." Jordan muttered. "Lewis was always the one who was better at getting things done, not me..."

"Well like it or not, we need you!" Bakumon cried.

With that he lunged forward and bit down onto Jordan's long shirt sleeve. Jordan, having seemingly only just noticed that Cerys was carrying a sentient animal cloud, gave a cry of alarm and tried to break free. Behind him, Kala and Connell linked arms, and Kala grabbed hold of Cerys' shoulder.

"All ready," Kala said, nodding to Cerys as Jordan's attempts to break free were slightly arrested by Connell blocking him in.

"Okay Bakumon, take us there," Cerys said, looking down at her partner. "Take us through to the Digital World!"

"Wait a minute!"

Jordan's protest was lost to thin air as they began to fade too along with Bakumon, all keeping together as they slowly felt themselves ripped from reality and away from that grave under the tree on the hill in the field... on to begin the adventure that should have been all those years ago. They passed through weird dimensions, worlds of blackness, of colour, squares and diagrams as tall as mountains and a world where sight failed and all was just noise and sound around them...

And then, they began to fall and that was all they remembered as everything went dark around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sometimes it's just too late...  
> But now what? Can they make this work with a dead Chosen's twin? And just where _are_ the other Digimon?
> 
> We're about to find out...)


	9. The Right Side of the Wrong Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Some of you might have noticed the fic's minor title change. I decided "Eight Years" was a better title than "Eight Years Later"; rest assured this is the same story.
> 
> Also, I realised I'd used the American dub name for PetitMeramon so I went back and changed all mentions of 'DemiMeramon' to the original Japanese name.)

"... Lo? Hello? Are you okay?"  
  
Kala's first sign she was awake again was a little voice intruding into her ears, a worried little voice that was trying to wake her up. Underneath her was the feeling of something that felt very hard and slightly damp, and her skin could feel that the air around her was just cold enough to nip at her nerves. Her eyes were still closed but she could tell that wherever she was, it was quite dark. It wasn't the most comfortable she had ever been to be honest...  
  
"Don't talk to it! You know what'll happen if they see you!"  
  
"Don't call me 'it'." The words were out of her mouth before she was even aware she'd though them. There was a squawk in response from somewhere just north of where her head was currently lying.  
  
"Sweet Sovereign, it's awake!"  
  
"I said, don't call me 'it'!" Kala shouted.  
  
She opened her eyes and in one swift movement sat up, bracing herself with one hand on the floor and turning to where she'd heard the voice coming from. Now she was up and had her eyes open, she could see that she was inside a large stone room with many colourful if small creatures. There was a group of them in the general area of where the voices had been coming from, and she could see that one, a red and purple lizard creature with long pointed ears and a set of almost tail feather-looking spines on his rear was looking rather sheepish.  
  
"I... I've just never seen a human," he muttered, guiltily. "I'm not used to..."  
  
"I'm a woman," Kala stated. "And if I'm correct... you're all Digimon aren't you?"  
  
There were some frightened mutterings at that, as other groups of Digimon Kala couldn't see in the gloom began to talk frantically. As the red and purple creature tried to think of what to say, Kala became aware of something nuzzling against her leg and she looked down to see a small white blob with a simple face nuzzling against her.  
  
"You came to save us?" he squeaked.  
  
"Me...?" Kala asked, blinking.  
  
"Poyomon, behave!" the red purple lizard snapped. "If this human was here to save us she would have been here years ago! You know that the chance to save this world... save us was missed ages ago. We're not being saved, ever."  
  
"You're wrong," Kala said, beginning to stand. "I was Chosen. I'm here to help you."  
  
The whispers around her stopped for a second, then resumed louder. Then someone called out.  
  
"If you're really a Chosen, where's your partner Digimon, human?"  
  
"I... I don't know yet," Kala admitted. "That Call years ago that was never answered? I was one of the humans meant to receive it, but something went wrong... we never got the Call. But now we've come to help you, all of you."  
  
"Yeah right."  
  
"We can't count on this human!"  
  
"Listen, I wish I could believe you... I really do," and now the red purple lizard Digimon was getting closer. "But the Call is meant to call the humans here before the evil threatening this World has a chance to take over. Look around you; that's already happened. You're too late to help anyone human. You might as well go back the way you came here, there's nothing you can do anymore..."  
  
"No, I can help. I will," Kala insisted. "Me and the other three came here with Bakumon to reverse this."  
  
"What other three?" Poyomon asked at Kala's feet.  
  
It was then that Kala realised what was missing. She was the only human here as far as she could see, and there didn't seem to be any sign of Bakumon either. She was alone in a cell of unknown Digimon, and from the sounds of it most of them didn't believe in the human Chosen saviors anymore. This didn't look good for her...  
  
"So... there are more of you after all..."  
  
The Digimon in the cell all jumped, moving back to the far end of the cell. Poyomon squealed and ran back to the red purple creature who picked him up and backed away, scowling at a point over Kala's shoulder. Kala turned to see a set of bars she hadn't noticed before in the darkness, with one door set into the middle at floor level and a row of creature standing on the other side. Most of them were grey dog-rabbit creatures, with long tails tied by belts at the end. They all had long claws that they sniggered through on their upper limbs as well as similar claws on their hind feet, and all of them looked like bad news. The one odd one out was a Digimon stood in the middle, a bear cub-looking creature with a serious expression on his face that had its effect partly spoiled by the overly large blue cap it was wearing as well as the multitudes of blue belts wrapped around each overly long forepaw. They were obviously the leader of this small band.  
  
"Well done Elecmon," the bear cub smiled. "You managed to get it to talk. Now we know just how many humans we're looking for, and what Digimon they have... or at least one of them."  
  
"I..." Elecmon muttered, and then looked down to the ground. "Just leave me alone... I've learned my lesson."  
  
"Yes, keep it up and maybe one day you'll be allowed to join us," one of the grey dog-rabbits laughed.  
  
All of them begin sniggering then, with some looking toward their bear commander who seemed to ignore them. Kala could see his eye twitch though.  
  
"Where are the other humans?" he asked of her instead.  
  
"I don't know," Kala answered truthfully. "I blacked out when I entered your world. I've only just come to now."  
  
He frowned and Kala saw him clench a paw at his side. Then he turned away.  
  
"No matter, I will find them," he said. "And when I do, we'll make sure that you realise the truth of just what you're dealing with, human."  
  
"My name is Kala Knight." Why had she said that?  
  
He didn't seem to react, but again she saw his eye twitch. "Why do I care? You are my enemy."  
  
"I came here to save this world," Kala stated. "You won't stop me, even if I don't have a Digimon partner."  
  
He snorted and with a signal of his claw, the grey dog rabbits began to file away.  
  
"I am Bearmon human," he said, without looking at her. "Remember that name... it will be the last thing you scream before I destroy you."  
  
With that Bearmon walked after his troops and out of sight. Kala stood there for a moment, trembling before letting all the tension drain from her body. As she sat down Poyomon broke free and jumped back over.  
  
"I believe you Kala, you can do it," he squeaked.  
  
She absent-mindedly pet the little blob as the other Digimon around the cell began whispering again, and Kala knew that Elecmon was staring at her with pity. They truly believed that all hope was lost and she just didn't know what to do. They didn't believe she could do anything.  
  
She wondered how the others were getting on, wherever they were right now...  
  
  
  
Cerys and Bakumon had come to in the middle of an overgrown clearing, a hole in the canape above showing where they had fallen from upon entry to this world. At first all they felt was the relief of knowing that they were still together, had not been separated during the journey. This quickly then turned to panic when they realised that despite having not been separated from each other, they had been split from the other three humans of their group. Thus they had quickly decided that their next plan of action was to get the group back together as quickly as possible and so were now trekking through a very dense forest together. Cerys wasn't having too many problems, but Bakumon seemed right at home here. By now he had grown into his new body and despite his concern for the other three it was obvious that he was relishing being back on home territory.

"Where even are we?" she asked.

"I've no idea," Bakumon admitted to her. "I didn't really leave Clockmon's room that much, and even when I did I stayed close by. I didn't want to miss the chance to find you... someone had to wait for you to come back."

Cerys nodded, still a little knot of guilt inside at having made him wait so long for her but glad that he didn't seem to hold it against her. Sure, he was loving to her to the point of clinginess but that was understandable. He'd been born to be with her, and it'd kept him going. Now they were together, nothing would stand in their way. As she slid down a tall root and stumbled forward onto a grassy patch of land, Bakumon suddenly paused, sniffing at the air.

"What is it?" Cerys said, lowering her voice and crouching down beside him. She'd been told by her partner that patrols of enemy Digimon roamed this world, and as a human she had a feeling they'd instantly be interested in her.

"I smell something... something familiar." Bakumon closed his eyes and reared onto his clouded haunches as he scented the air. His eyes opened. "I know that smell! It belongs to one of the other Chosen Digimon!"

"What??" Cerys cried.

"It's not one of your friends, but it's just as good!" Bakumon said, before taking off at a run through a nearby bush. "This way!"

"Wait up, I'm not used to this rougher terrain yet!" she followed her Digimon into the bushes as he charged ahead, losing sight of him in his haste.

She could hear him though, and she followed the sound until she heard his yelp and a crash that resulted in another yelp of pain from another voice. As she pushed through the thorny branches she suddenly heard a snarl.

" _ **Allergy Shower!**_ "

" _ **Poison Smash!**_ "

Cerys stopped as she heard these voices, and gently pushed forward to see what was going on ahead of her. Bakumon had obviously charged into a clearing and had crashed into a pair of plant-like Digimon, both of who were now attacking him furiously. Sitting upon the ground and obviously the one Bakumon had crashed into was a monster that resembled a sentient purple-capped mushroom with yellow marking, two legs and two arms tipped with red-pink boots and gloves respectively. The other was slightly more reptilian but still more plant than anything else, a red flower helmet over the top of its head, purple flowers as hands and root-like green feet. Lying on the other side of the clearing was a small creature with long ears covered in long flowing white fur, each ear topped in brown and big wide black eyes that it was blinking fearfully at the battle before it.

"Puff... puffff...." it muttered in a tiny voice as Bakumon leapt back from the mushroom, avoiding both its bombs and the pollen cloud from the other plant creature.

"Hey, watch it!" Bakumon cried, as he landed clear of the two. "I'm sorry for bumping into you but I didn't see you while I was running through the bushes!"

"You shouldn't interrupt us when we're recruiting subject!" the mushroom growled, as he got to his feet. "Don't you know the rules?"

"Recruiting?" and Bakumon's eyes saw the other smaller white Digimon for the first time. "They don't look very willing to join."

"That doesn't matter, what Fangmon wants, Fangmon gets," the flower creature said, her voice slightly muffled under her flower helmet as she walked towards Bakumon, one flower hand upon her waist as she twirled the other one in the air in a dramatic gesture. "Now get lost before you get hurt."

Bakumon looked at the two plants, and then back to the white Digimon who still looked terrified. He saw the bushes move, and saw that Cerys was trying to move as silently as she could through the brush to them. She put a finger to her mouth and he blinked in understanding.

"You're bullying them," he stated. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, two Rookies like yourself picking on a young Baby like that."

"It's none of your business."

"Maybe I want to make it mine," Bakumon said. "Now leave that Puffmon alone, the both of you!"

"Hey wait," the flower suddenly seemed to remember something. "Didn't the captain of the guard send word that we were to be on the lookout for a Bakumon?"

"Hey yeah," the mushroom grinned nastily all of a sudden. "They picked up a human and it revealed that there was another three humans and a Bakumon with them that we needed to find and bring in... which means..."

He suddenly spun round, and Cerys froze behind the Puffmon who she had been trying to reassure that she was actually friendly. There was a moment when everyone stared at each other and then...

"HUMAN!"

"I know Mushmon, don't shout get it!"

Mushmon ran forward towards Cerys, who quickly scooped up Puffmon who she put into the big bag that'd carried Bakumon once, before she ducked back into the treeline with the mushroom Digimon diving in after her. Bakumon charged towards the remaining Floramon as she turned back to him.

" _ **Virus Delete!**_ "

The flower rolled out of the way, and targeted Bakumon with her flowers again.

" ** _Allergy Shower!_** "

Bakumon was hit by the pollen, but jumped back in time to avoid the worst. However, one of his eyes began watering and he held it shut in pain, snarling at the Floramon as she laughed nastily.

"You're fighting a losing battle Chosen, just come quietly."

"N-never!" Bakumon growled. " _ **Nightmare-!**_ "

" _ **Sweet Scent!**_ "

Bakumon paused as a sweet cloying smell began to drift across him. It filled his nose and then his brain with sweetness, fogging his thoughts, his mind... what had he been doing again? It didn't matter. All that mattered was this smell and getting to have it in his nostrils forever more. He'd go anywhere, do anything to have it with him forever...

"That always works," Floramon laughed. "Hopefully if Mushmon has captured your little human friend we can take you-"

" _ **Iai Blade!**_ "

A silvery shot flew from the bushes and struck Floramon in the back. She gaped for a moment, pain filling her senses, and then she burst into a cloud of data which dispersed leaving Bakumon lay upon the ground very much worse for wear. As he felt his head begin to swim Bakumon faintly heard the sound of Cerys' footsteps running up to him, where she knelt down beside him and cradled his head in her lap. He smiled, he liked her being close like this.

"Bakumon? Bakumon, are you alright?"

"Wh-wha' happened?" he managed to get out.

"Someone heard the commotion... they helped us."

Suddenly another figure walked from the bushes, but at this point Bakumon's vision was getting dark and he only just saw the outline of a pair of clawed feet and a long tail behind as it stepped into his view.

"... You two should never have come here."

And so Bakumon passed out.


	10. The Greatest Rebel of the Digital World

"Well, I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't this."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
  
The remaining two human members of the party had woken up quickly upon their entrance into the Digital World; Jordan coming to in mid-air just in time to see the unconscious forms of Bakumon and Cerys crash into a canape of trees in the distance. Seeing that Connell was still nearby him, he'd lunged out for his old friend's hand in an attempt to not be separated and pulled him closer to him. Unfortunately this did have the effect of unlinking his arm from Kala's and together the two men had crashed down away from her. Connell had awoken just as Jordan had seen a patrol of grey dog-rabbit creatures surrounding Kala's body. The two of them had then watched powerless as they began to drag her away.  
  
"We can't do anything for her now, stay put," Connell had said when Jordan began to show signs of jumping out to help her. "I don't want to be on the receiving end of those claws, do you?"  
  
So they had watched until the group was out of sight, taking Kala with them. They exchanged glances and decided without words that it was probably better that they head off in the other direction, and once Jordan told Connell about having seen Cerys and Bakumon crash-landing off in another direction they began to head off that way in the hopes of possibly finding her. Like it or not right now in a world that didn't seem too friendly to humans, it was probably their safest bet.  
  
They hadn't been walking long before they found that the treeline suddenly just stopped, giving way to an open plain of grass and slight hills. Dotted around the grass were rocks much taller than either of them, casting long shadows across the greenery. It seemed deserted and both of them paused.  
  
"What do we do?" Jordan asked.  
  
"You said they landed this way right?"  
  
"Yes, but that was a while ago. What if they've woken up and moved on since?"  
  
"We've got nowhere better to go," Connell said. "But... maybe we should go around..."  
  
"Human..."  
  
They froze, the voice coming from somewhere above their head. They looked up into the leaves to try and locate the source, aware that they could very well be in trouble now. However when they located the voice's owner they relaxed a little; sitting in a tree, blinking down at them was a small purple and white furred creature. It seemed to have a jagged spiky mouth, two long pointed ears and big orange eyes, basically a saurian head with four stubby little legs. They waited to see what it would do next as it regarded them carefully with its big eyes, a tiny tail swishing behind.  
  
"Humanssssss..." it said again, its large mouth barely opening.  
  
"Y-yes?" Jordan replied.  
  
They waited again as the creature gave no sign that it'd heard Jordan or even that it'd gotten a response from them. Just as Connell was about to try, it suddenly turned slightly read under its fur and opened its mouth again to speak.  
  
"... Stuck. Help?"  
  
It was then that they registered that indeed the creature's limbs seemed so short that it was unlikely that he could actually climb down again from the branch he was balanced on, never mind imagining how he'd have gotten up there in the first place. The two shared a look and then Connell got down so that he could give Jordan a boost up. Lifting the lighter man wasn't too easy for Connell, but as the little Digimon didn't seem in any hurry to move Jordan was easily able to scoop him up and Connell popped them both back down.  
  
"There we go," Jordan said, as he lowered the small Digimon to the forest floor. "You're not stuck anymore."  
  
The little Digimon slowly blinked, looking from side to side, and then spoke again.  
  
"Dorimon."  
  
"That's... you?" Connell asked.  
  
The creature didn't nod or respond, but instead turned round with a speed they hadn't expected from him given his past behaviour.  
  
"Rebels. Want humans. Follow Dorimon."

He began to walk out of the treeline and into the plain beyond it, and Connell turned to Jordan.

"I don't know if we should trust this guy," he said. "I know he looks unthreatening but what if he's leading us into danger?"

"Well he's already seen us, if we turn and run now and it is a trap then his fellows could easily come after us," Jordan replied, before looking back at where Dorimon was waddling forward at a constant speed. "Besides, he said something about rebels. I wonder if they're rebels against the monster we saw kidnapping Ke-Kala?"

"Or the rebels are the ones who kidnapped her."

Suddenly they heard an impatient snort, and they looked up guiltily where Dorimon was atop a small hill a short way into the plain.

"Follow Dorimon!" he snapped, stamping one of his tiny feet indignantly. "Rebels need humans. Save Digital World. Partner Digimon said so!"

"Wait, a partner Digimon is part of the rebels?" Connell asked.

"Yes. Claim he chosen. Said watch for evil Digimon an' human."

"Wait, a partner Digimon?" Jordan asked.

"Oh right, we didn't have enough time to explain," Connell said. "You know that strange animal Cerys had? It claimed that we each have our own 'partner' monster that was still here in this world... I didn't believe her but if there's really a partner Digimon with the rebels it might be one of ours."

"You've changed your tune."

"Think Jordan! If we have another one of these creatures on our side we won't need to find Cerys and hers!"

"Follow Dorimon or not?"

"Yes, hold on I'm coming!" Connell said, as he began to walk towards the edge of the trees.

"Connell, wait...!" Jordan tried, putting up a hand but realising that the other was ignoring him. "Oh wait up, I'm not staying here alone!"

He ran after Connell, catching up to him and matching his pace as Dorimon nodded, satisfied that they were following him now and continued along his way. They seemed to be following him wards one particular rock in the middle of the plains, pretty much indistinguishable from any of the others. Now that they were closer though, both the men noticed the shimmering patterns that glittered across the surface of all the rocks in set patterns. In fact, if they didn't know any better they'd almost say it resembled the sort of details you'd see on circuitry...

"Stop."

Dorimon's voice croaked the command and both of them stopped, the three of them now in front of the large formation. As the two humans looked up Dorimon began to walk forward again.

"I let us in."

"How, I don't see a door?" Jordan asked.

Dorimon said nothing, simply taking a tough plant tendril in his large mouth and yanking it. Suddenly they felt themselves falling, the ground beneath them suddenly no longer solid. As they fell they caught sight of a circular edge and realised that the entrance must be solid until the disable mechanism was triggered and the ground became just a flat illusion. It was very clever, quite impossible and really quite terrifying. However, they didn't have time to think of this now, they were still falling.

"Fuckkk!"

They hit a metal slide, the curved sides embedded into the sides of what looked to be in the dim light a cleanly dug dirt tunnel leading down into the ground. Dorimon was ahead of them, belly to the slide and legs splayed out to his sides, an expression on his face indicating that actually he quite enjoyed this part of entering wherever it was they were now heading. For the two humans though, hearing things whizz just shy of their heads that were too dark to see, it was completely terrifying. After what seemed like forever they saw a light approaching them.

"We here!" Dorimon called back.

He slid out of sight through the end of the slide, which seemed to be nothing but a solid yellow circle that stretched across the exit. Of course, it was another illusion. Both the men hit it at around the same time and their momentum pushed them through the yellow membrane which resisted their less steamlined forms and ended up with both in a heap on a floor somewhere. Before they could recover themselves and get a look around at their surroundings though, their ears were filled with what seemed a million voices.

"What did you say??"

"Did he actually say that some came?"

"Humans!"

"Humans!!"

"He did, he said humans!"

Suddenly they heard doors opening and many feet pounded against stone. When they opened their eyes they were surrounded by loads of small forms and creatures of all different shapes and sizes. All of them seemed to be watching the two of them in awe, almost unable to believe their eyes.

"Dorimon was right!" exclaimed one monster with green eyes poking out of holes in a body made of rocks. "They are humans!"

"Of course we are, what else would we be?" Connell replied grumpily, trying to push Jordan off him.

"Trick by evil Digimon," and Dorimon was emerging now from the crowd. "But you help me. Touch was real. You are real humans. Not trick."

"You came to help us!" came another voice from the crowd of Digimon. "We're saved!"

There was a cheer, and Connell finally managed to push Jordan off him. They both sat up and Jordan put out two hands, gesturing for the assembled monsters to calm down.

"Who are you all anyway?" he asked. "Not that we don't appreciate the warm welcome, but it'd be nice to get a little context on this situation."

"We're a cell of the Digital Rebellion, the Digimon who never gave up hope that you'd come," replied the rock monster, before offering his hand in welcome. "I'm Gotsumon. And we've been waiting for the Chosen humans to come to this world for a very long time to aid us in the fight, we're just a very junior group mainly tasked with observation of the area but like all Rebellion cells, we had our orders with humans - to report and shelter any we find."

"You're fighting?" Jordan asked. "Fighting with who?"

"With the evil forces that have taken over our world, enslaving the good Digimon of all areas and forcing them to bend to their will. But don't worry, now you're here I will finally be able to stop them!"

A lone figure had appeared in a far doorway, leaning against the frame and posing. The darkness behind him blurred his shape and features, but Dorimon began to run over to him.

"I found humans, brought them as you ask."

"Well done little friend," and the mysterious Digimon straightened up. "Now, I'm sure that you heard about me far and wide on your journey over humans. Yes, I am the partner Digimon you have been looking for all this time and it is a pleasure to meet you!"

He walked forward and their eyes went wide.

 

"Well, I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't this."  
  
"Yeah..."

They said that quietly as the so-called 'partner Digimon' waddled towards them. He was in shape a squat blue-purple and white bird with yellow feet and beak and long wings that almost reached to the ground beside him with the red claws that tipped them. He had two longer appendages upon the top of his head and orange-red eyes sparkled with an eagerness to fight. He eventually stopped just outside the ground and placed his wings upon where his hips were.

"Yes, no need to worry anymore for now I, Penmon, the Greatest Rebel of the Digital World shall be able to save us all from peril!"

As he boasted though the two of them caught the looks on the other Digimons' faces. Besides Dorimon all of them seemed rather unimpressed and even... annoyed by Penmon's boasting. Eventually Gotsumon stepped forward.

"Yes Penmon, that's all very well but our guests need to rest," he said. "Come on everyone, back to work. I'll take these two to a room to sleep and then we can all eat, alright?"

The crowd gave little annoyed mutters but all filed off neatly to do whatever tasks they had been previously doing. Penmon nodded.

"Well then, I shall go finish my battle training. Not that I need more."

He turned around and waddled back to the door he'd entered from, with Dorimon following on behind him adoringly. Gotsumon put a hand to his forehead.

"If you really did come all this way looking for a partner, I'm sorry," he said. "I don't think Penmon's one... he's all talk and no action really."

He beckoned them and they got to their feet, following him through another door. The ceiling height was a bit low for them and they needed to crouch forward a little as they walked to avoid scraping their head against them. Eventually Gotsumon lead them into a corridor that was much taller and opened a door twice as high as him.

"We have these guest rooms for when much more experienced Resistance members visit, you're free to use the beds to get some rest if you want to," he said, pointing inside.

"Thank you," Connell nodded. "I could use some rest after walking through that forest..."

"Again, I urge you not to take Penmon seriously, he's been feeding everyone that old tale since he got here. No one but Dorimon believes him anymore... as far as we know the partner Digimon were all hunted down and captured years ago." Gotusmon sighed.

"B-but, that's not true!" Jordan said, looking between Gotsumon and Connell who was lying on a bed now. "Didn't Cerys have a Bakumon with her? Wasn't he her partner Digimon? He brought us to this world!"

"A partner Digimon survived and brought you to this world??" Gotsumon seemed taken aback. "A Bakumon you say? Well, we shall have to tell our agents to keep their eyes open for him and his human partner! Maybe our luck is turning around after all..."

With that he left, and Jordan closed the door, making his way over to the other bed in the room. He heard Connell's exasperated sigh.

"You just had to tell him that she was still out there," he muttered.

"They're on our side, shouldn't we tell them such things immediately?"

"Yeah, but I was looking forward to catching up, just us two guys... without the girls around."

Jordan shook his head and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. It was weird being here and suddenly he remembered with a jolt that he wasn't supposed to be the one here... it'd been Lewis who had been chosen, not him.

"Do you think that 'Penmon' is actually a partner Digimon?" Connell asked.

Jordan thought about it, before shaking his head.

"Wouldn't the other rebels know if he was one of the Chosen Digimon? They don't seem convinced."

"Old rock-head said that they believed all of them captured. They were wrong about that so maybe..."

"... Are you hoping he's your partner?"

"I don't know." And for the first time since they'd met back up Jordan heard the uncertainty in Connell's voice. The tone that wants to believe but doesn't dare in case... of something bad happening.

What, he wondered was on Connell's mind if the fact that Lewis really ought to be in his place was on his...?


	11. The Big Bad Wolf

Bakumon awoke on a bed of dried leaves and moss, lying on his stomach with legs sprawled out to his side. He groggily raised his head up and slowly looked around his surroundings. From the looks of the walls, he was inside a large rounded hollow that was partially underground given the rocks and mud that made up the floor and the base of the walls; this soon gave way to large wooden roots that grew down through it and joined onto the base of a tree that made up the rest of the walls and the roof. On the far side of the room up a roughly worn stone ramp was a closed door. As he began to get up to his feet it opened and Cerys entered, ducking her head slightly so as not to bump it on the top of the doorframe. Her face lit up when she saw that he was awake.

"Oh thank goodness, you've been out for a few hours," she said, entering the room and walking over to him. "How do you feel?"

"Like my head is being pressed upon," he groaned, as she helped him slide off the slightly raised leaf and moss bed to the dirt floor. "Where are we?"

"We're safe, don't worry," she reassured him. "As I said before you passed out, someone heard the fight and came to help us."

"And I half wish I hadn't."

They turned back to the door where the voice had come from. Standing in the doorway, their feet surrounded by many small round Digimon of varying appearances was a creature that was saurian in appearance yet covered in yellow and black fur. They wore black ceremonial armour on their head, shoulders and back; and had a large red shining interface upon their forehead. They blinked their green eyes at the pair and frowned.

"If the patrols find out what I did... they can't. You need to leave, quickly."

"You kept saying that, why do you want us to go Ryuudamon?" Cerys asked, turning to face him. "We're here to help this world."

"You can't... you won't be able to," the Digimon said, walking into the room, tailed the smaller Digimon. "I've seen what the evil Digimon can be like. They're ruthless and won't stop at anything to get what they desire; not even the murder of innocents." And he indicated the smaller Digimon at his feet. "I look after all I can, feed them, care for them and keep us all out of danger. If we don't present any threat they will leave us alone most of the time, but with you here they'll think we're with you."

"But aren't you? You took care of that Floramon attacking Baku-"

"It's not as simple as that!" Ryuudamon snapped, tensing up slightly with a snarl before relaxing when he realised the children were shrinking down from his rage. "This world isn't just those for the controlling Evil and those fighting against it... there's all types of people. All I want is to save the young. You're putting us all in danger by being here and I was generous to let you stay until Bakumon had woken."

Bakumon considered them closely. "For someone who says they're unwilling to be a threat to the patrols, you sure didn't hesitate to help us when we needed it did you? Why?"

There was a pause and the other Digimon sighed. "Just leave. Please. I don't want to put these children at risk. It's not their fight."

Cerys opened her mouth again, but Bakumon caught her eye and shook his head. She closed it and gave him a puzzled look which he didn't return. When he indicated she should go first she did, and heard him walk after her. In the doorway Bakumon paused, before turning back around to the saurian Digimon behind him.

"I know that inside something of you wants to fight back, still. It must do, to save all these young children." Bakumon closed his eyes respectfully. "Thank you for saving me."

"I'm sorry."

Bakumon nodded and followed Cerys out of the door and down a hallway. Neither saw the regret in their reluctant host's eyes, as he almost opened his mouth but stopped himself before he called after them. He sighed and his children began to fuss around him, knowing that he was sad and he bent to pat them and reassure them as he should as their caretaker.

"It's okay children," he said. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine now."

_I'm fine now._

But was he really?

 

Cerys had stopped by the end of the passage, a hole hidden within the surface roots of the large tree they had been under. Bakumon eventually caught up to her and crouched beside her as they observed the world through the foliage, hidden from view until they left.

"It's a shame about Ryuudamon," she said. "But I guess that his reason is valid."

"He has a good heart," Bakumon agreed. "I can't hear anything coming."

"I can't see anyone either," Cerys replied. "Let's go."

They slowly pushed through the foliage, slipping out of the entryway and into the nearby treeline. Both kept walking for a while, then stopped when they were sure they were far enough away from Ryuudamon and his brood that no enemy patrol could connect them as having come from there.

"I suppose we'd better get back to following that scent trail you picked up on," Cerys commented to Bakumon. "If they're still within range I mean."

Bakumon nodded and reared up again to scent the air. He sniffed, then began to sniff a bit deeper, before his face contorted slightly with irritation which quickly became a slightly panicked expression as he opened his eyes and looked to his partner.

"Erm, I think Floramon's attack did something to me," he said. "Cerys, I can't smell anything anymore."

"You mean we're too far away now?"

"No, I literally cannot smell _anything_ any more."

They stood there just looking at each other for a while as the implications of this sunk into both of their minds. Eventually Cerys broke the silence.

"Well, that makes it harder."

"My nose!" and Bakumon was now back down on his belly, both his forefeet over his nose and rubbing it. "What if I never get my sense of smell back??"

"Calm down, I'm sure it's just temporary," Cerys had now bent down to him and was trying to get him to stand. "Bakumon, we'll be alright. We just need to find the others first."

"But how?" he asked. "We can't even be sure they landed in the same place as us... or even came through at all. What if they lost grip halfway across?"

"We'll never know if we stay here, come on," Cerys said, trying to drag him to his feet. "At the very least we can't let any enemy Digimon find us."

Bakumon seemed to respond to that last point, finally getting back to his feet and beginning to walk forward...

"There, that's them!"

"Just as the other human said!"

Two voices cried out from above them, and before either could look up to see who it was coming from the floor below their feet lost its solid property and they fell downwards into the earth...

 

Kala's time awake in the Digital World had not been spent well. She'd spent most of it within that dungeon, surrounded by curious if scared Digimon. Poyomon had been the one good thing for a while, but a Gazimon (which she had learned was the species name of the grey dog-rabbit Digimon Bearmon had been surrounded by earlier) had entered their prison earlier and taken the young Digimon away. Of course Poyomon had not wanted to go, seeking shelter from first Elecmon then Kala when the red-purple Digimon had made no attempt to protect the little white jellyfish. Kala had picked up the Poyomon and tried to stop Gazimon from taking him, but had received a punch to the stomach for her trouble and now Poyomon was gone.

"And you say you're here to save this world human?" the Gazimon had laughed as Poyomon squirmed in his claws. "You can't even protect one Baby! Pathetic creature."

Of course, she'd apologised to the other Digimon there, especially Elecmon but all of them had ignored her. Now they turned their backs away, not willing to be connected with her at all. It seemed that here in the Digital World among these scared creatures, being human was not something to be supported or tolerated. just like...

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door of the cell open again and she looked up to see Bearmon approaching with two Gazimon in tow. He walked up to her and stopped, his face stone.

"You're wanted, human," he said. "Fangmon, the area leader wants to see you. Follow me and be quick about it. You don't want to keep him waiting for you."

Kala blinked for a second, hesitant. She saw one of the Gazimon begin to shift to grab her and she put up a hand, scrambling to her feet.

"I'm coming, no need to manhandle me."

"You'll hold your tongue around us, human," the Gazimon spat. "And more so around Fangmon. He won't just merely hit you if you dare to insult him."

"Besides, I want you to still be around for when it's time for me to kill you myself," Bearmon smirked, before turning on his paw and walking out. "Come on, quickly!"

Kala saw the two Gazimon move around to her sides, slightly behind her and began to walk after the bear Digimon before either could shove her forward like they did in the movies. As she walked she realised that they were inside another long stone passageway with the walls uniform monotony broken every now and then by another set of bars marking another cell. As she walked she realised that like the one she had been in, all the Digimon contained inside each one seemed brow-beaten and weary. They all also seemed to be quite small, none taller than herself and most not even coming close. What was it that Cerys had said once about making Bakumon change shape to a more powerful form? Could it be that all of these Digimon were on a level equal to Bakumon's? Even the Gazimon and Bearmon... But if that was the case, did that mean there were higher levels of power? Larger Digimon?

They reached the end of the corridor and began to climb up a set of stairs, Kala making sure to stay behind Bearmon at the same distance all the way. No hint of trying to run away or fall back to the Gazimon behind her. Bearmon didn't look around once, not to her, not to his sides. A perfectly trained soldier for this Fangmon whoever he was... and Kala wanted to find out. It was why she didn't try to resist and followed along. If she was stuck alone without any sign of her Digimon, she might as well try to gather as much information as possible. It wasn't as if the Digimon in the cell had been much use on that front.

Bearmon led them down another corridor, now more well lit and pocketed with doors mostly closed but some open upon what seemed to be break rooms for the soldiers as they ate and laughed away. Every now and then they would pass other Digimon patrolling down the corridors or on their way to do some important task for their masters; once a loud shriek of pain echoed down the corridor from some distant place. Bearmon's demeanor stayed mostly in place but Kala saw his shoulders tense slightly and heard the Gazimons' giggle as they noticed. Eventually they began to climb another staircase and Bearmon cleared his throat as he knocked upon a door at the top.

"Who's that knocking upon my door~?" a scratchy voice called out.

"I, Bearmon, do," Bearmon replied. "I have brought the human as you requested sir."

There was a chuckle. "Bring them inside. I want to meet such a bold creature."

Bearmon took the handle in one paw and opened the door, to which the Gazimon responded by pushing forward Kala. She stumbled forward and into a room that was carpeted in grass. Around her were many trees, close together and clumped darkly forming shadows although all were short and bent over. It was almost as if she was outside in a dark haunted forest but she couldn't be could she? There was a door and a wall behind her...

"So, _this_ is one of the four human Chosen...?"

The scratchy voice again spoke, but it was now right beside her. As she turned towards it an elongated creature seemed to melt from the darkness beside her, its long smiling maw right up against her face. She startled and stepped quickly to the side and they laughed, a howling guffaw that sent shivers down her spine.

"A bold creature indeed, yet still scared of the big bad wolf..."

Fangmon was a red wolf-like Digimon, much bigger than the ones she had seen so far. Everything about him seemed stretched out, even his yellow eyes seemed pulled back across his face. Each legs was wrapped in belts and each toe was tipped with a purple claw longer than his foot. He smiled at her again and licked his muzzle.

"Oh you will make a good meal when I am finished with you," he said, pacing up to her. "You do realise that this forest you trespassed into is my domain? How dare you come along and claim you will 'save' it from me?"

Kala backed away from the approaching Digimon, but forced herself to stand up straight and look confident in the face of this scary wolf.

"I was Chosen, it's my duty to help this world," she replied. "With my friends or alone, I'm going to fight and if you're the one I need to..."

She drew off as she tried to think what she could do to this thin wolf beast, but Fangmon stopped approaching, turning his head away. She snorted.

"Oh a noble one, talking about 'duty'," he said. "Ever since we Digimon became capable of 'love' and 'positive emotions' this world has gotten weak." he turned away from her and began pacing back across the clearing. "Imagine needing humans to save us because we're too weak from all this friendship garbage. Fortunately with the upheaval I can finally apply 'caring' as it was always meant to be applied..."

He seemed fixated on something, and looking beyond him Kala saw a tiny little white fleck upon a flat rock just shaded by the bent trees. Whatever it was wasn't moving that much except a barely discernible shallow breathing, lying as it was in a pool of something clear, shiny and very wet-looking. As Fangmon opened his jaws, saliva dripping off his teeth Kala saw it move again and a tiny black eye that she remembered from just a short while ago...

"Poyomon!"

She began to move forward before she'd even thought about her actions, and quickly the two Gazimon had run forward, restraining her arms and forcing her down to the ground, her head pressed against the grass. Kala heard a loud squeak as Poyomon was grabbed in Fangmon's jaws and she opened her eyes to try and see what was happening. The angle her face was pressed down faced her towards Bearmon who was standing by the now closed door, arms folded and eyes closed looking down towards his feet. Then Fangmon was looming over her again, a terrified Poyomon grasped tightly in his mouth.

"You want to 'save' the Digital World?" Fangmon asked. "Then it's best that you get a minor taste of just what your foolishness means for the creatures of this world!"

Fangmon slowly began to bite down upon the Baby Digimon, squeezing the little white blob. Kala tried to look away but her head was held in place and she was forced to watch as Fangmon stopped slowly biting and crunched straight through the soft body of Poyomon, splitting him in half with a scream. Part of the body hit Kala as it was disintegrating into data and reformed itself into an egg slightly bigger than the Baby Digimon had been in front of her. Fangmon smiled again, licking his muzzle.

"Delicious, I do love the taste of children," he said. "Take the Digitama down to the Nursery, it'll be another soldier when it's hatched."

One of the Gazimon ran forward, scooping up the egg and ran towards the door, which Bearmon opened for them. The remaining Gazimon pulled up Kala, still holding onto her. She faced Fangmon who was once again getting closer.

"Y-you monster!" she spat. "He was just a baby!"

"All the better to revert back to their Digitama," Fangmon replied. "After all, it's easier to get a soldier trained if they've been training from birth to be a fighter."

Bearmon suddenly started forward from the door as another Digimon stumbled through, beaten and battered before collapsing onto the grass in front of the door. Their purple cap was missing a few chunks and bore deep claw marks, as well as one entire arm having been seemingly torn off at the shoulder.

"Mushmon?" he asked, his voice betraying his surprise.

"F-Fangmon," Mushmoon only had eyes for the lupine Digimon. "I... Floramon and I; we were attacked. We found the Bakumon, a human..."

"Then why didn't you bring them back here??" Fangmon demanded, walking away from Kala and towards the unfortunate mushroom Digimon.

"Our efforts were- someone interfered," Mushmon seemed oblivious to Fangmon's approach. "It was that Ryuudamon! It attacked me as I was chasing the human! He killed Floramon, but I knew I had to... I had to let you know. That caretaker's one of them!"

"Ryuudamon?" Fangmon seemed slightly surprised, but then smiled again. "Perfect. He takes in all those young ones doesn't he? If he has indeed attacked you and killed one of my soldiers in the line of duty, then he must be taken in. And of course, those young charges of his will need a new caretaker." He gave a low chuckle. "Bearmon, give the orders. Ryuudamon is to be brought in, and all patrols to centre on that area of the forest. We must find Bakumon and his human partner before they get too far!"

"Yes sir!" Bearmon said, before running out.

"Gazimon, take the human back to the cells to await their friends will you?" Fangmon asked.

Gazimon nodded and pushed Kala forward towards the door, past Mushmon who finally seemed able to sit himself up. As they descended the staircase Kala heard one exchange from the forested room.

"Yes, you have done well to let me know Mushmon, but you took a lot of damage didn't you?"

"Ryuudamon was strangely fierce... I was lucky to get away alive sir..."

"Yes, you were. Good thing you got back here so I could do that myself... can't have active soldiers any less than perfect."

"Wha-"

Kala was glad that they moved out of earshot just as Fangmon made his attack...


	12. When Good Mon Refuse to Fight

The sound of footsteps coming down the passageway was the first sign that Ryuudamon had that their little home had visitors. The fact that a good many of his young charges were showing signs of fright was the clue that these visitors weren't the sort he wanted. He motioned with a claw for the children to get back towards the room he'd let Bakumon sleep off his fight earlier, slowly approaching the opening to the main room to see who was paying him and the children a visit. When he saw a familiar shape approaching he just about successfully managed to master his urge to snarl. Not again...  
  
"To what do I owe the pleasure Bearmon?" he asked of the other Digimon.  
  
Bearmon stopped a few footfalls from Ryuudamon, and behind him the Gazimon he'd brought along with him also stopped. Ryuudamon did not like their expressions and tried his best to ignore the chill that swept down his spine.  
  
"Just another quick house call caretaker," Bearmon spoke. "It's recruitment time again."  
  
Ryuudamon did snarl slightly at that, but quickly looked down at his feet in resignation. He'd been afraid that was the point of their visit, they often came calling looking for new recruits and he had to let them take a few of his young charges with them for Fangmon's army. He had to keep as many as possible safe and at least if a few were taken the others might have a chance to grow strong enough that they could leave and not face this conscription.  
  
"Yes, I'll go fetch you a few to take with you," Ryuudamon sighed, his voice full of reluctance.  
  
He turned away from the army and began to advance back towards the main room, thinking to himself which of the children he could let them take and trying not to curse himself for being such a coward again. It was not the first time this had happened, would not be the last either...  
  
_"... I know that inside something of you wants to fight back, still. It must do, to save all these young children..."_  
  
No. Bakumon was wrong. He might still want to fight back but he could not, would not. He had to save as many as possible and try his best to keep those too small and innocent to understand out of this ongoing battle, this terrible world that would chew them up and leave them scarred for life as they watched friends die for them...  
  
_By letting them take the children though, aren't you failing?_  
  
"Oh, and one more thing _caretaker_..."  
  
It was too late for Ryuudamon to react to this, even as his mind came to a conclusion with startling speed. His mind screamed out that conclusion even as his body spasmed from the combined **_Paralyze Breath_** aimed at his back.  
  
**They knew.**  
  
  
Cerys and Bakumon had found themselves falling through the ground after hearing the voices from around them, hitting a smooth slope and descending downwards into the earth together. It ended in a short drop downwards into a room where they both landed on a mass of springy soft moss-like plant, Cerys having managed to grab Bakumon to herself so that she could land first and not squash him underneath her. They both lay there for a second before Cerys pushed her partner off of her with a groan, and when Bakumon gave a soft 'oof' she sat up and rubbed her head.  
  
"Well, that was unexpected."  
  
Bakumon made no reply, flipping back onto his front and blinking his eyes to let them adjust to the dimmer light. He was the first to be able to see the long passage in front of them lined by doors on both sides as well as the odd passage at 90 angles from this main one. He was also the first to notice that they weren't quite alone.  
  
"Company!" he hissed to Cerys.  
  
Cerys scrambled off the moss bed onto the solid ground quickly, Bakumon following and taking up a position in front of her, letting his fur fluff up in an attempt to appear larger than he was. Cerys cleared her throat.  
  
"Who's there?" she shouted out. "Why did you bring us here? Show yourself!"  
  
There was a quiet moment as her voice echoed down the corridor and nothing happened. Then slowly in the dusky corridor shapes emerged from the corridors slowly to stand grouped before the two. Both prepared themselves for a fight...  
  
"Didn't I tell you to turn on the light down here? What's taking so long?"  
  
The first voice that came from the shadows in front of them sounded annoyed, and seemed to issue from a shorter figure who appeared to be looking back down the passage he'd emerged from. As Cerys and Bakumon blinked, they heard another voice from that passage sound, muffled by distance.  
  
"Sorry, the place is pretty packed. I think everyone came down to see the human and its partner. I can't get to the switch!"  
  
"Then someone else who can turn on the light!"  
  
"Dorimon reach."  
  
There was a soft plink and lines of lights strung along the roof began to turn on, blinking slightly as they warmed up. Now Cerys and Bakumon were able to see that far from the terrifying army of enemies they'd been expecting, the corridor was filled with a variety of small Digimon of all appearances. All of them were staring at them as if unable to believe their eyes and all of them appeared to be fighting back waves of unexpressed glee. Bakumon shrunk back slightly from this, eyes wide.  
  
"Erm, I take it that you're not about to kill us where we stand?" he asked.  
  
"Far from it!" and one rock-like creature walked from the crowd, spreading his hands open in welcome. "We are the Rebellion and we've been waiting for you to come to our world! Welcome!"  
  
Those words set off the crowd who all began cheering and despite being taken aback, Cerys couldn't help but grin slightly. Bakumon however seemed a bit overwhelmed by it and backed up into her legs. When some of the Rebellion Digimon began to surge forward, asking him questions about how it felt to be a partner Digimon he actually hid behind her legs. Cerys looked down at him before putting up her hands.  
  
"Hold on, this is amazing but calm down," she said. "We're only one pair who were said to have this fate of fighting for your world."  
  
"Oh, they know that Cerys."  
  
Now Connell and Jordan came into view, having waded through the mass of Digimon blocking up the corridors to the side. Jordan gave Cerys a slightly nervous grin, obviously as taken aback by all the fuss as her; while Connell seemed to be a bit annoyed, if tolerating it at least. She smiled back at them.  
  
"At least we know now that you made it through, and not so far away."  
  
"We came to earlier and decided to find you," Jordan said, as they made their way forward to stand between Cerys and the crowd. "We thought... since you were the only one who had their partner already..."  
  
"Only we found these guys instead," Connell indicated at the Rebellion group around them. "They insisted we stay and they'd find you. Seems they're pretty good at their job."  
  
"Wish they'd said hello first," Bakumon muttered.  
  
"Yes, that vanishing floor trick's a bit startling isn't it?" Jordan groaned with remembrance.  
  
"Well, at least now we know that we have the right human," Gotsumon said, walking forward. "I am Gotsumon human, and as I said you are very welcome to us. We are but a junior cell of the Digital Rebellion but we have already sent word to our stronger associates. They will come to collect you in a day."  
  
"Collect us?" Connell asked.  
  
"Yes... unfortunately we cannot keep you with us. It's too risky right now," Gotsumon seemed uneasy explaining this. "We need to get you to the central headquarters of the Rebellion so you can be at the disposal of our generals and leaders... although we'll need to find the other Partner Digimon as well before that'll begin to happen."  
  
"Wait, you're basically going to pack us up and ship us off to be used as weapons for this fight?" Connell seemed annoyed.  
  
"The Digital World has been under the rule of dark forces for a while," Gotsumon said. "We need to be sensible and send you where you will be most useful for us."  
  
"I didn't come here to be ordered around!" Connell snapped.  
  
"You didn't want to come here at all originally," Cerys muttered just out of his earshot.  
  
"Besides, we can't leave!" Jordan cried. "There were four of us when we came through... sorry, four humans and Bakumon. Kell is still missing!"  
  
"Kala."  
  
"There's another one?!" one of the Rebellion Digimon squeaked.  
  
"Oh god yes," Connell slapped a hand to his forehead. "We woke in this world just as a group of grey animal Digimon took her away."  
  
"Gazimon!" the cry came from the crowd.  
  
"This not good," came Dorimon's voice from somewhere within it.  
  
"The enemy has one of the Chosen!" Gotsumon's green eyes had gone wide and horrified. "Oh no, this can't be! What do we do?"  
  
"Why, fight them of course!"  
  
The crowd turned to face something at the back of their group and somehow in the tightly packed corridor managed to squeeze up to let by one more Digimon, a squat blue penguin-like creature with yellow feet and beak. His eyes were locked onto Gotsumon and they seemed fired up.  
  
"The humans have finally arrived, and one of them is in trouble!" he declared. "We have watched these brutes terrify our home for too long, now they take one of the very things that we were told could save us! We must fight back Gotsumon, it is time!"  
  
Gotsumon fidgeted, looking back at the other Rebellion Digimon for help. None of the others seemed willing to speak up though, all averting their eyes and kicking feet along the ground.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Penmon, you know we can't do that," Gotsumon began nervously. "We're only a very junior cell... we're to observe the enemy, not to fight them. Y-you know we'd just die."  
  
"You won't fight back for our home?" Penmon seemed furious, and then waved a wing towards the humans and Bakumon. "Not to save their fellow Chosen? They're finally here and we need to give them all the help we can!"  
  
"Penmon, we'll lose if we go in recklessly!" Gotsumon replied. "Even with Chosen on our side now, we're not much stronger. Most of them don't even have partners yet! We don't have much more chance of winning with only one Partner Digimon with us!"  
  
"There's two!" Penmon protested, turning to look at Bakumon who flinched. "There's Bakumon there and then there's m-"  
  
"Stop it!" Gotsumon spoke in a very firm voice. "Penmon, your little stories were amusing at first about being one of the Partner Digimon... but there's only so long you can continue with such things before you need to subscribe to reality. This is serious business, and death awaits all that join this battle. Join the real world for once in your life!"  
  
There was a period of silence and Penmon slowly turned to Gotsumon. He seemed shaken and when he spoke his voice was oddly restrained and calm.  
  
"Y-you don't believe me." It was not a question, but a statement. "You never believed me when I said... none of you did."  
  
"Penmon, we need to get serious now that the Chosen have arrived."  
  
"I am serious!" Penmon's voice suddenly rose and he flapped his too-long wings indignantly. "I am a Partner Digimon! I am!"  
  
He spun back round and pushed past the grouped humans and Bakumon towards the slide, vanishing through the membrane and somehow going up the slide. Everyone stared at the spot he'd just vanished for a moment.  
  
"I think you went a bit far Gotsumon," someone in the crowd said.  
  
"It's true though... he needs to rejoin reality," Gotsumon sighed. "Humans, we'll do our best to help your friend but we might need to leave it to a stronger group in the Rebellion. We just don't have enough firepower to take on Fangmon and his army here..."  
  
Suddenly there was the noise of something rolling from the slide passage, and as they all looked back, Penmon toppled back through the membrane and landed on the moss bed. However, he wasn't alone, having seemingly collided with another Digimon that had been coming down when he was going up. Penmon held up a wing, dazed.  
  
"We've got a visitor..."  
  
"Re-Rebellion?" squeaked the other Digimon.  
  
It was obviously another young one judging by its size and basic appearance, a ball covered in light tan fur with four tiny legs, and long pointed ears and tail each easily as long as its rounded body. Big blue eyes blinked nervously at the group until it saw Cerys and Bakumon. It squeaked again, scrambling on Penmon until the other Digimon gently pushed it off him. The little Digimon scrambled off the moss and ran up to Cerys' feet, stumbling in its hurry.  
  
"Help! Help!" it barked at her. "Help again!"  
  
"I'm sorry, again?" Cerys asked, looking down at the little Digimon and trying to recall if she'd seen it before. "Have we met...?"  
  
"W-was... Puff!" the little Digimon answered. "Now Kyaro! Human help!"  
  
"Cerys, it's the Puffmon we saved from Mushmon and Floramon earlier," Bakumon said, gently nosing at the little Digimon. "My nose still isn't back to normal, but close up I can tell..."  
  
"What's wrong Kyaromon?" Gotsumon asked from behind them.  
  
Kyaromon's eyes teared up. "Bad Digmon! They come. They scare us... they hurt caretaker!"

Cerys took this in and then with a start realised what Kyaromon was saying. She turned to Bakumon who wore a similar expression of dread.

"Ryuudamon!" he cried.

"They've taken Ryuudamon?" someone in the crowd cried.

"Oh no!"

"What did he do wrong? He looked after kids!"

"Who cares what he did?" Penmon asked from the moss, having finally come back to his full senses. "This isn't the first time they'll attack an innocent Digimon and it won't be the last! We need to do something."

"We can't fight them..." Gotsumon protested again.

"We don't have to," Connell said. "I've seen enough of this place to know that you've probably tunnels all over this area, right?"

There was a mutter of agreement from the crowd and the man smirked.

"Well, I say that we go and sneak out our friends from right under their noses," he said. "Surely 'mon such as yourself who have been observing everything will be great at stealth?"

"I great stealth Dorimon!" Dorimon agreed from the group.

"It could work..." Gotsumon put a hand to his chin and began to pace. "If we sent in just a few of us to locate Ryuudamon and the other Chosen and then the rest of us covered your retreat..."

"We'd have to move bases again you know," Penmon grinned at him.

"Oh this place needed an airing out anyway," Gotsumon replied, waving his other hand. "A full on battle I cannot agree to, but a quick strike and withdrawal? That has better odds in our favour. Those Gazimon aren't the best sprinters."

"Then it's settled," Penmon said, finally getitng off the moss and walking through the human group back to Gotsumon, his wings held aloft. "I will lead us in of course."

"We'll talk about it," was Gotsumon's diplomatic reply.

As the Rebellion Digimon began to discuss how they would execute their plan, Bakumon suddenly had a thought.

"Did the bad Digimon take the other children?" he asked Kyaromon. "I mean, they seemed willing to have you as a 'recruit' earlier."

Kyaromon sniffed. "I tell."

 

_He'd followed the other children into the back, just as caretaker had said. Of course, Puffmon knew that whenever caretaker told them to do that bad Digimon were coming but caretaker would take care of them. He always did. Even if some of Puffmon's friends had to leave every time..._

_A sudden loud crackling from the other side of the door made him look up in panic. He heard a body hitting the floor and then a muffled voice he was not familiar with issuing orders. The sound of claws racing across the floor in the other room sounded, making the other children tremble. Puffmon quickly hid behind the raised bed that Bakumon had rested upon earlier, hiding just as the door burst open. He heard the others screaming and knew that the bad Digimon were coming for them; all of them. One by one they were captured and taken out, until Puffmon was alone in the room, still hiding and trembling from head to toe. Eventually he opened an eye and dared to peek out, looking at an empty room with a floor that had been churned up by many clawed feet chasing smaller Digimon. All seemed quiet as he dared to slowly cross the room to the door._

_"So, those idiots didn't finish clearing the room after all."_

_Puffmon froze, and then saw the other Digimon hiding in the corner of the room, his blue eyes steely and fixed upon Puffmon. Puffmon tensed up, prepared to defend himself against this enemy. He was so focused that he didn't even notice that he was suddenly a little larger, that he no longer sat on the floor on his belly and that a tail now swished behind him. The other Digimon blinked and then sighed loudly._

_"Kyaromon, run," he said. "Run as far and as fast as you can from this place..."_

_"Y-you...?"_

_"Do it, quickly before the Gazimon return!" and the other Digimon pointed one of his long wrapped paws at the doorway. "Just... do it, please. Run."_

_Kyaromon stood there a second longer confused before he finally nodded and began to run. He managed to exit within a minute and then kept running on his new four feet, trying his hardest to hold onto his tears at what had just happened._

_He needed to be strong. He needed to find the Digital Rebellion and tell them that caretaker had been captured._

_Bearmon had allowed him to escape and he would not waste this opportunity._


	13. Inside the Wolf's Den

_"I don't believe it... I thought... I thought you were all gone! I was sure that I must be the only one left... you don't know how happy to see you I am!"_  
  
_"... Don't be."_  
  
_"Huh?"_  
  
_"Look... I'm not sure if I actually want this role anymore."_  
  
_"I... what?"_  
  
_"Things... happened. I'm scared, I never realised just what it really meant... I don't think any of us did at that age."_  
  
_"St-stop it. Stop joking with me... we're... we're supposed to-"_  
  
_"And the humans were supposed to come through with the Call years ago! You know how that turned out!"_  
  
_"..."_  
  
_"... I'm sorry. Look, just... I can't. If you still want to fight on then I won't stop you, but forget you ever saw me, okay?"_  
  
_"But..."_  
  
_"Please. Forget me. Will you at least promise me that?"_  
  
  
The centre of the forest was marked by a mass of green and wood, a thickening of the plantlife and trees grown close together to form the most impassable part of the woods around them. Because of this and its central location, Fangmon had claimed it for his base and prison facility, having his soldiers hack a way through into the midst of the dark trees and then dig down into the earth to link down to natural caves that had long since been turned into the rooms and cells needed for himself, his troops and prisoners captured from the surrounding area. Now the length of the thickened green was patrolled by plant-like Rookie Digimon of all types, with two Veggiemon standing guard by the front entrance specifically. It was this that the chosen infiltration party for the Digital Rebellion was now observing, eyes peering out from under a large flat rock that hid a tunnel down into the Rebellion's underground network  
  
"There it is, Fangmon's den," Penmon muttered, his eyes glaring so hard that he could have set one of the Veggiemon alight with its intensity. "That's where we'll find our friends."  
  
"Heavily guarded isn't it?" Jordan muttered from beside him. "How're we going to get in without being spotted?"  
  
"Leave that to the Candmon brothers."  
  
They continued to watch the scene as the group waited for their cue. Somehow Penmon had managed to persuade Gotsumon to let him go in with the rescue team, if only because Penmon really did take his training seriously and was therefore actually a strong, if somewhat clumsy battler should the need arise for a fight. Jordan had elected to come with him, along with Cerys and Bakumon as the only Chosen pair. Connell had stayed with the party of Rebellion Digimon who were going to be covering their tracks, as he pointed out that his being a human could serve as a needed distraction if it was warranted. That and he seemed to want to be as far away from his fellow human companions as possible because he insisted that he'd still rather be home right now, but if the world was in danger he'd just have to do something he guessed. Right now they were waiting for the distraction to arrive, along with the other Digimon who would cover the retreat. Once in place everything would begin and the four of the rescue party would slip by in the confusion.  
  
" ** _Bonfire!_** "  
  
Suddenly a pair of cries sounded, with a stream of fireballs emerging from the treeline opposite the Veggiemon. One of the Veggiemon saw the hazard coming and jumped to the side, the attack scorching where they'd been stood a moment earlier. The other Veggiemon was not so fast and caught alight, screaming in pain and dancing around, before he began to roll about in an attempt to put out the fire. The uninjured Veggiemon scowled as two Candmon floated out of the treeline and prepared their attacks again.  
  
" _ **Bonfire!**_ "  
  
The Candmon attacked again, this time both aiming for the downed Veggiemon who was still too distracted recovering from the previous assault. As he burned to a crisp and shattered into his data bits, the other Veggiemon charged forward with a cry of rage.  
  
"Murderers! Invaders! Die!" he screamed. " ** _Sharp Leek!_** "  
  
Both the Candmon avoided the attack, giggling to themselves before drifting backwards towards the treeline. Veggiemon's cries had attracted attention now and other plant-like Digimon guards were running towards the fray now. Penmon looked towards the Chosen beside him.  
  
"Come on, while they're busy," he said, pushing the stone up further and off to one side. "Get up, and go to the right. I'll cover the hole and then we can sneak in through the side. The trees surrounding the den are thick but they're not unassailable with a bit of effort."  
  
"Right," Cerys nodded, pushing Bakumon up first.  
  
Bakumon scrambled to one side behind some bushes, pausing to watch anxiously as first Jordan, then Cerys climbed up out of the tunnel, joining him behind the bushes crouching. They watched the Candmon dancing around the plant Digimon army in the clearing as Penmon quietly slide the stone back into place, then joined them with a quick waddling run, his winged arms up in the air slightly as he puffed over. He pointed a little further up and the other nodded, quietly making their way over to where the bushes at the treeline had a slight gap. They waited while three Floramon rushed past, shouting their threats at the Candmon. Quickly they darted across to the thickened tree mass, squeezing their bodies through the mass of branches and leaves until they couldn't be seen from the outside. Only then did they take their time, carefully picking their way through to avoid catching themselves and scraping themselves bloody on thorny branches. As it was it was tougher on both Cerys and Jordan as fully developed young adults as opposed to the two smaller Digimon, although Bakumon stuck close by Cerys and Penmon encouraged both of them onwards.  
  
"Yes, that's right, keep advancing! Quickly!" Penmon's whispered encouragement went. "Yes, I can see why you were Chosen. Determined to help save someone in need. Does you both credit!"  
  
"Penmon, how close to the other side are we?" Bakumon asked.  
  
"I estimate we're not too far from the centre, which I happen to know was cleared of plant and thorn to allow for entrance down into the caverns that Fangmon and his troops call home as well as prison for all their innocent captives."  
  
"Wait, you know?" Cerys asked.  
  
"Yes, I, erm..." And Penmon nervously rubbed the back of his head with a wing. "I might have had a few encounters with the local enemy garrisons, one of which involved a trip down here myself. Fortunately I was able to trick my way out, and I don't think the commander of the tricked troops ever forgave me for showing him up like that. He's certainly shown less restraint in attacking me since then..."  
  
"Well, I suppose that means we might have some idea of where we're going down there then."  
  
"We can hope, it's the only reason Gotsumon let me lead you."

He led the way through the scrub and emerged first, looking around to be sure that all of the guard Digimon were out. He then quickly darted across the room as fast as his chubby body would carry him and swung closed the door to the outside. Jordan emerged to help him throw closed the large bar to lock it from the inside, while Cerys concentrated on helping Bakumon scope out the top of the stairway downwards into the caves below. When the bar was in place Penmon gave it a nod and waddled over to the stairs.

"Nothing'll be getting in that way for a while," he said confidently. "In fact, I dare say that with the Candmon distracting them they haven't even noticed that it's locked!"

A loud bang from the door made them all jump, and Penmon barely stopped himself from going head over flipper down the stairs ahead. Jordan ran over to them and with some difficulty scooped up the penguin-like Digimon, his arms under Penmon's wings and around his middle.

"I suggest we make tracks before they get in," he said, directing his words towards Cerys more than the two Digimon.

Cerys didn't hesistate, scooping up Bakumon in a slightly more dignified way into her arms before the two of them ran down the stairs into the earth and stone passages. Fortunately it seemed that most of the Digimon in the upper story of the caverns had responded to the attack and they were able to stop in a small alcove off the main passageway that looked as if it was set up as a basic checkpoint. As they breathed a sigh of relief, Penmon wriggled in Jordan's grasp, freeing himself and leaping clear.

"I could have taken those stairs myself you know human," he said, a little huffy.

"We needed to move quickly, we couldn't risk you falling down them," Jordan responded in a reasonable tone counter to Penmon's irritated one. "And for future reference, my name is Jordan."

"Yes, I suppose I should really know all of your names if you're going to be part of the party formed to save the world," Penmon said. "Speaking of which, let us press on. We have comrades to rescue!" And he began to walk down the corridor, his step composed and quick.

"But... I'm not part of the save the world party," Jordan muttered, before catching Cerys and Bakumon's eye. "Not really..."

"It doesn't matter, you're here now and you'll do fine," Cerys assured him, before smiling. "Lewis would be happy for you to do what he could not."

"Clockmon always said that things happened as they were supposed to," Bakumon said. "Sure, the missed Call threw us all off a little bit but... well, he said that human Chosen would come to save the Digital World and not only are you here, but I think you can agree that it needs the saving now."

"And?"

"My point is that maybe you were the one who was always meant to be here instead of... well, your twin," Bakumon said, then when Jordan was silent he turned to his human partner. "Cerys, put me down, we'd better catch up to Penmon before he gets into trouble."

Cerys nodded and loosened her grip so that he could leap down from her arms. As he ran after Penmon's figure in the distance, the two humans followed behind.

"Do you think he's right?" Cerys asked Jordan, seeing him still so quiet.

"I... I don't know," he answered eventually. "Something that I'm meant to do instead of... that's just not right."

Cerys would have answered him back, but she saw that the two Digimon were ducking into a room with some urgency. She grabbed Jordan's arm and pulled him forward, through the doorway and into the room as well. Seeing Penmon and Bakumon crouched by the doorway they got in behind them, both squatting down and pressing themselves against the wall.

"Gazimon," Penmon hissed, pointing out of the door.

Cerys and Jordan were confused for a moment, because they couldn't hear anything but slowly a noise of claws against stone became obvious, softly and distant at first but getting closer to their location where they crouched. Jordan sat down properly upon the floor to give his legs a rest, poised to move himself back from the group if need be. Cerys however gently rested a hand upon Bakumon's back as his fur began to stand on end as he readied himself to attack if need be.

"Hold," Penmon muttered to them all. "If they pass by then we can sneak past, if not we might have to knock them down before they notice us."

"We'll need to hide them then," Bakumon muttered.

Penmon nodded and Jordan looked around, seeing a tall cupboard which he quietly shuffled backwards towards to open and make room in if necessary. Meanwhile the other three waited, barely daring to breathe as the claws drew closer to the point that they began to make out that there were only two Gazimon, and they were talking about something. Cerys looked back at Jordan briefly, who had managed to get the only table in the room between himself and the door and was slowly opening the door of the cupboard. The Gazimon were now in the long main passage and they began to make out exactly what they were saying.

"... They brought him in?"

"At last! Fangmon's been waiting for a chance to arrest that soft hearted caretaker."

A laugh. "Well yes, his taking in of all those poor lost little souls was rather throwing a wrench into Fangmon's ongoing efforts to extend his army. Baby Digimon are so much easier to train and teach the right way."

"The trial's tonight right? In the Pit?"

"It'll be quite a spectacle," and now they were right outside the room. "Watching the executions of not just the caretaker, but all his younger charges first. Then that human will be Fangmon's main course."

The door opened now and the two Gazimon walked inside, tittering behind their foreclaws. Bakumon took a breath in, but Penmon was first, moving more quickly than his appearance led you to believe he ever could.

" ** _Endless Slap!_** "

He launched himself at the other two Rookies Digimon, his wings swiping at them. Both Gazimon turned in alarm, but it was too late for them to move and Penmon's wings slapped both upside the head. As they collapsed into a heap, Bakumon and Cerys helped him pull them into the room.

"You've got some power behind those wings!" Bakumon sounded impressed.

"Well I am supposed to be a Partner," and Penmon was posing slightly now, his feathered chest puffed up. "I've been training every day since I joined the Rebellion you know."

"Come on, let's hide them," Jordan said, emerging from behind the table where he'd paused first to listen to the Gazimon's conversation and then to watch Penmon's lightning fast slapping moves.

He helped Cerys bundle the two Digimon up with some rope that had been in the cupboard, and then with her help shoved them unceremoniously into  the cupboard, pushing the table in front of it to bar the door. Meanwhile Penmon and Bakumon had been watching at the door. Seeing that the humans had finished, Penmon beckoned.

"We can't hear anyone else coming. Let's go," he said.

Just as they stepped out into the corridor there was an almighty clattering noise from the first stairway, and they all looked around in terror. The front door!

"Run!" Bakumon cried as they heard the noise of approaching and angry plant Digimon.

The four of them took off running down the corridor, hearing the noises turn to shouts of alarm and attack as they were spotted by the first of the guard down the stairs. As they passed another stairway down, Penmon slid to a halt.

"This way! We need to go down!"

The other three flung themselves at the stairs and Penmon followed, leaping forward wings flapping desperately as a **_Nemesis Ivy_** attack from an Alraumon shot for him. He landed safely but unfortunately his momentum did not stop at the same time as he did, and this time he did find himself going beak over flipper down the stairway, rolling past the two humans and Bakumon ahead of him and disappearing into the gloom.

"Penmon!" Bakumon cried.

They continued down the stairway to try and catch up with him, before hearing Penmon's yelp of pain from the bottom of the stairway. They hoped that it had just been the landing that had done it, but before they reached the bottom of the stairway they saw that a welcoming party was waiting for them, blocking their way and smirking up at them as they stumbled to a halt. Bakumon growled at the Digimon in the centre, an elongated red wolf who was resting one of his large front paws onto Penmon, who was collapsed onto his front groaning in pain. Cerys clenched her fist, fear in her face but standing her ground with her Digimon. Jordan hesitated, looking back as the plant guards filled the stairs behind them.

"So, the other Chosen come to me," the wolf said, grinning a devilish smile that sent chills up their back. "I have your friend you know, they've been so alone... yet so bold. Strange creatures you humans..." As he said this he pressed down harder on Penmon, grinding the smaller Digimon into the stone under him.

"You leave Penmon alone!" Bakumon snarled.

The assembled army began to laugh gently, maliciously and Cerys felt herself clenching her fist tighter. How dare they mock them? Hurt others...?

"You're this Fangmon we've heard about," she said, putting two and two together. "You look like you'd be one."

"Hm, you should never assume anything by appearances," Fangmon muttered. "For example, you're such a threat to me and my fellows and yet you look so... soft and weak. But yes, I am Fangmon. This is my forest."

"This forest... AHH... belongs to the innocent Digimon living here!" Penmon protested from under Fangmon's paw.

"Silence," and now a small bear cub had stepped forward from Fangmon's group. "You and your friends have given us quite the run around Penmon. It's nice to finally be able to settle the headaches you've been giving us!"

Fangmon laughed as Penmon scowled at the other Digimon, removing his foot from the bird Digimon and turning his back on the scene.

"Detain them," he ordered his army. "I think tonight's little show will be even better with three humans to feast upon."

He began to walk away and the massed Digimon closed in around them. Jordan was grabbed from behind by the plant Digimon and the bear cub pointed a pack of Gazimon to restrain the injured Penmon. As both of them were led away, he then turned his attention to Cerys, Bakumon moved in front of her, his eyes as angry as she had ever seen them.

"You have a choice," he said addressing Cerys. "Either you come with me without fighting, or I will order your Partner killed."

"You'll never..." Bakumon growled, but Cerys bent down to him, put a hand on his back.

"I'll come quietly."

"B-but-"

"Bakumon, no." Cerys eyes looked into his blue ones, her face giving a sad smile. "You waited for me for eight years... and all this time I never knew you existed. I don't want to watch them destroy you."

"Cerys, they'll kill us anyway."

"Yes, they will," Cerys said, before straightening up. "But Clockmon _told_ you, didn't he?"

Bakumon jolted as he remembered his words earlier on to Jordan; he reluctantly nodded.

"I'll trust you. I do."

Cerys smiled at him and stepped over him, holding her hands up in front of her, palms forward as she approached the bear cub. His expression hadn't changed, but his eyes seemed to betray some other expression now. For their bond? Or was it just satisfaction that someone was willing to comply? No, it was regret and yet something else was there too...

"Follow me, I'll take you to the other human... to Kala," he said. "Bakumon can't be put with you though... I'm sorry." He lowered his eyes to the floor, although he kept his stoic expression.

There was a moment of silence, and then with a sigh he began to lead the way after the rest of the army, Cerys and Bakumon following in step behind him...


	14. Destinies Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time!

_They were excited again. They generally were._

_So many of them here, under Fangmon's command. And they adored it, loved their assigned duties with an almost obscene amount of pleasure. But then their species was made for such tasks of scouting, surrounding, attack and capture. It was why there were so many of them, Gazimon made loyal soldiers in a pack like this one. And they loved their job._

_Yet, and he had to listen carefully now, their excitement seemed to have some different tone to it. Something was different this time, and as one of them poked their head into his small sleeping room he found out._

_"Come quick! We found one, a real one!"_

_"Oh not this again..." he sighed. "You know that they're never coming-"_

_"Come see for yourself," was all the Gazimon said, with a shrug._

 

_As he closed the door behind him, he finally let himself grit his teeth. There'd been so many false alarms before, so many times that it hadn't been real that he'd doubted they'd ever have a real one. A real human prisoner. A real Chosen.  
_

_It spoke. It had told of more humans in the Digital World, and a Partner too... the Call had been answered and his mind was in terrible conflict now. For he'd long since given up, and now... no, it was no longer possible to fulfill his fate. Not with all that had happened._

_Kala. Kala Knight. That confused him, because it didn't fit. But it'd been years..._

_No. It was too late now to change the past. But even so there was still something he could do. Minor little things._

_He just had to believe now... and that would be hard for a mind not used to it._

 

Connell had played his part, waiting in the trees with the Digimon of the Rebellion and helping by throwing a heavy net at the chasing plant Digimon. As he leapt from his perch he'd heard Gotsumon calling for their retreat and had fled into the greenery, Dorimon following on close behind because the little Digimon insisted on keeping an eye on him. That and Connell wouldn't know where to look for the entrances into the underground tunnels if he got lost. Fortunately they had managed to give the guards the slip and managed to meet with the other Rebellion members. Gotsumon however had looked troubled when he arrived.

"Oh, human," he said. "You just missed the Candmons' report. Apparently the chase was called off earlier than we had expected it to be... someone at the back spotted our rescue party closing the door."

"Does that mean that they're in trouble?"

"It probably does," and Gotsumon looked afraid. "This isn't how we planned it at all..."

"What do we do?" someone asked.

"I... I don't know," Gotsumon admitted. "We don't know for certain that they've been captured and they could still get out. However, if they were caught..."

He paused mid-sentence, unable to finish his words. Connell sighed in exasperation. "Can we take the chance that they have?"

"No, I... we..." Gotsumon trembled. "Human, we can't take on Fangmon... he's so strong. So fearsome and mighty and..."

"Listen to yourself!" Connell snapped at the cowering Digimon. "I thought you Rebellion were trying to liberate this world! Yet you want to sit back and let your allies and your potential saviors die because you're scared of one Digimon?"

"He is quite scary," someone commented from the group.

Even Dorimon nodded. "Scary. Dorimon still go, fight."

Connell gave the little Digimon a nod of approval. "Anyone else?"

The question however didn't elect any replies except more nervous mutters and fidgeting. He gave a derisive snort.

"Then go home, safe in your little bunker," he said. "I'm going into that base with or without you all. It's a pain but I guess if I'm the only Chosen left I should get the rest of them out at least..."

He began to walk away from the Rebellion group pushing back into the bushes towards the base of Fangmon. Dorimon followed with a cry of "Wait Dorimon come too!" Gotsumon looked around at his fellows and sighed.

"... He's right isn't he? We're a poor excuse for a Rebellion..."

 

Deep inside the prison Jordan and Cerys had been reunited with Kala, the three of them clinging to each other briefly in greeting and relief before letting go. The cell they were in was small and cramped but fortunately only they were in it so it wasn't as bad as it could have otherwise been.

"There's so many Digimon in this prison," Kala told them both. "And despite telling them that I was here to help, none of them seemed ready to believe me. They've all told me it's impossible now to do anything... to just go back to our world."

"Yeah, I got the impression too that the general feeling among the Digimon not in Fangmon's army is that the odds are not in their favour," Jordan said. "Even the Rebellion cell we were with seemed hesitant to actually do much fighting..."

"Ryuudamon too," Cerys agreed, as they all sat down on the cold stone floor. "Even though he saved Bakumon and me, he was very reluctant to have us around for longer than was absolutely necessary to let Bakumon wake up... mainly because he was taking care of so many younger and smaller Digimon and was afraid that our being there would put them all in danger."

"Well it didn't work, that's the caretaker Kyaromon told us had been attacked," Jordan explained to Kala who looked briefly confused, "Apparently they're going to execute him later on tonight, along with all his young children..."

"No, they won't execute the children," Kala said, her voice dark. "If what I experienced with Fangmon in my earlier encounter with him is anything to go by... if we're the main course the children will be his appetisers."

Cerys hissed. "He _eats_ child Digimon?"

Kala nodded. "Earlier the only Digimon in the cell who believed in me was a little white blob called Poyomon. Fangmon bit him in half in front of me and his soldiers made me watch it..."

"Oh god..." Jordan muttered, horrified. "We have to do something. We can't let him kill those children or Ryuudamon... or Bakumon and Penmon come to think of it. Fangmon can't be planning to let them stay alive either."

"But what? And how?" Cerys asked. "We're without Bakumon and Penmon. What can we do by ourselves?"

"You can listen."

The three of them looked up, startled. Standing by the bars was Bearmon, his posture still disciplined and soldier-like but his expression was one of nervousness, albeit still controlled. The three of them quickly scrambled to their feet, wary. He raised a paw to them to stop their words before they could say them, eyes looking to his side at the passage that led to the rest of the prison.

"I know. I know," he said, his voice quietened slightly. "But you must hear me out Chosen. For this might be your only chance of getting out of here alive."

"You're... helping us?" Kala seemed confused. "Why?"

"I have made... mistakes," Bearmon sighed, allowing his shoulders to sag briefly. "It's too late for me to fix any of it or take it back... but I can at least redeem myself slightly in the eyes of the common good Digimon of this world. I can help you escape from here when the time is right..."

"That's why you let Kyaromon go!"

Bearmon averted his eyes. "I gave up hope and let myself do horrible things... I can't be forgiven but one small innocent life... I could not take another one then."

"So all that talk about killing me earlier?" Kala asked.

"I must keep up appearances in front of my comrades," Bearmon replied. "Now, I don't have much time and we could be caught at any time. So listen closely..."

 

When they led them down to the pit, the three condemned Digimon had been long restrained, even within their cell. Legs, claws and wings tied with rope and a muzzle-like device slipped over Ryuudamon's snout, they'd been kept semi-conscious by a constant reapplication of a Floramon's **_Allergy Shower_**. Now they were carried and dragged down the thin dark stone corridor by the Gazimon, heads swimming still but slowly coming round. The reason for this is that Fangmon had ordered them to be at least aware of their surroundings in the Pit, for he did so enjoy the torment of a pre-execution and tonight's would be so very delicious. As they reached the large metal door and it was swung open, Bakumon, Ryuudamon and Penmon was roughly thrown into the room and the door slammed shut behind them. Penmon began struggling against his bonds as he had done since he'd been tied, rolling about and giving suppressed irritated squawks. Bakumon too tried to free his legs, before noticing that like back in the cell Ryuudamon just sat there, head bowed.

"Ryuudamon?"

"I was a fool to think they wouldn't find out..." Ryuudamon's voice was a quiet sob. "I've put my children into such danger. I'm a failure, a total failure!"

"Don't blame yourself for their actions," Bakumon began, but he stopped as Penmon gave a snort from behind him.

"You knew it was going to happen eventually Ryuudamon," he said, before motioning to Bakumon to shuffle over to try and help him with his bonds. "You've run for a very long time, but it was going to catch up with you some time. Even if you said forgetting you was a favour to yourself, I really do have to wonder if it was to the Digital World at large."

Bakumon had moved over and was using his teeth to try and bite through Penmon's wing restraints, pausing as he realised that Penmon and Ryuudamon were having a conversation that touched on some past topic. Penmon glared at the saurian Digimon, but Ryuudamon could only turn away.

"I did what I had to, to save those who were like me... too small, too innocent to be a part of this nightmare."

Suddenly lights were thrown upon them, and the three of them automatically closed their eyes at the protest of the sudden change. Furious blinking on their part revealed that the floor they lay upon was heaped sand and gravel upon stone, the walls of the room at an almost 90 degree angle straight upwards with several little cave openings marking it in which Digimon lurked in the shadows, whispering and giggling. In the largest and widest of these cave openings was a slight lip to protruded out into their room and it was this that all the other Digimon looked to when they weren't sneaking glances down at the three prisoners. Suddenly from the darkness behind it figures emerged; first Fangmon who took central position on the edge of the lip, then two Gazimon and Bearmon escorting the three human Chosen. Cerys' eyes widened at the sight on the sand below.

"Bakumon!"

She was swiftly kicked off her feet by the Gazimon holding onto her, and she slammed against the stone, just as the other Gazimon and Bearmon did the same for Jordan and Kala. They were pulled into position on their knees and held in place, as Fangmon nodded approval.

"Just as it should be," he smiled at them. "Yes, the human Chosen on their knees beside me... foolish creatures to make any attempt to usurp my right to command this forest. Your blood will satisfy my hunger quite well, not to mention satisfying my fellows that the Chosen threat will be finally exterminated at last."

"There is a forth human though, sir," Bearmon pointed out.

"Meaningless," Fangmon dismissed it with a wave of a paw. "What can one human alone do to me? Nothing, even if they somehow find their 'Partner Digimon'." He spat the last two words out with disgust, before turning his attention back down to the sand and Ryuudamon especially. "Now, I think it's time we kicked this show off."

A cage was rolled out of the shadows behind them, filled with squealing, terrified young Digimon. Behind her Kala felt Bearmon's grip tighten slightly, and she tried not to turn around to face the cage with Poyomon's last moments still all too clear in her mind. She recalled at that time Bearmon had been averting his eyes too and she wondered if the young Digimon's screams of pain were on his mind too? They all heard Ryuudamon's yelp as he was snapped out of his self-pity by recognition of his young charges' cries.

"No, not them! Leave them alone!" he shouted, trying and failing to stand on feet still bound together.

"Oh no Ryuudamon, this is part of your punishment," Fangmon said, as one of the Gazimon escorting the cage reached inside and extracted a Cupimon from the pack of children. "Before your life is taken to avenge those soldiers of mine you destroyed you will watch me destroy the most important thing to you - your children."

"Monster!" Bakumon spat.

Fangmon's only response was to grab the Cupimon from Gazimon's claws with a snarl, making sure that Ryuudamon could see everything before he began to squeeze his elongated jaws down on the young angel Digimon within. It expired in an explosion of data, causing a scream of despair from Ryuudamon and whoops of jubilation from the Gazimon.

" ** _Little Bear True Punch!_** "

Kala felt her arms released as Bearmon struck at last, having hesitated in the face of the start of Fangmon's torture of Ryuudamon. His paw smacked into the Gazimon holding Cerys, then brought it back around to catch the one Gazimon still by the cage. As the Gazimon holding Jordan and the one by Fangmon turned to react, Kala ran behind the cage and Cerys tackled the one holding Jordan with a shoulder slam. Fangmon turned around with a fierce snarl as the Digitama of the Cupimon he had just killed rolled off the ledge forgotten to land softly on the sand below. Ryuudamon quickly began to shuffle towards it as Penmon watched the scene above with disbelief.

"Bearmon's _helping_ us?!"

"Traitor!" Fangmon roared, charging for Bearmon, trampling two of the Gazimon under his claws in the process and leaving terrible red gash marks in their bodies.

Bearmon was ready though and ran for it, leaping for the next cave entrance nearby. Fangmon gave chase and Kala began to push the cage forward towards the lip of the ledge. Cerys avoided another attack from a Gazimon and went to join her, while Jordan leapt from the ledge, landing somewhat awkwardly on the sand and running over to try and free the three Digimon prisoners. The two women began to push the cage and sent it careening forwards, the remaining active Gazimon leaping to other ledges to avoid its passage and the two injured ones getting swept along under it, their Digitama forming in mid-air as they succumbed to their wounds. The various cave entrances were in uproar, most of the Digimon obviously unsure of what to do. A few tried to catch Bearmon as he leapt to their ledges, but most were happy enough to get out of the way lest Fangmon accidentally maul them with his claws as he chased the bear cub around the sides of the room.

The cage landed on the soft sand floor, bursting open and spilling out the children who all hurried over to their caretaker, variously hugging him and biting at his bonds and muzzle as he cried tears of relief.

"Oh I'm so glad you're alright, I thought I'd lose you all!" he wept as the efforts of the many children paid off and his arms and legs were freed. He picked up as many of the young ones as he could and hugged them close, lost in his own world for the moment.

"Chosen, watch out!"

Cerys and Kala had been watching to be sure the cage and its occupants would be okay, had not been paying attention to what was going on around them. Bearmon had leapt back towards the large ledge, but Fangmon was immediately behind him and was preparing an attack.

" ** _Blast Coffin!_** "

The attack shot forth so fast that they couldn't see it. It smacked into Bearmon's back and pushed him forward to collide with the wall nearby, the shockwave causing both the female Chosen to be blasted off the ledge to the sand below. They quickly recovered, but Bearmon's form fell after them, landing in a heap bloodied and injured. Some of the young children gathered round him, until Fangmon landed on the ledge above and gave a terrifying bone-chilling howl that sent them fleeing back to Ryuudamon. By this time both Bakumon and Penmon were freed from their ropes and with Jordan joined the ground as they glared up at Fangmon.

"One of my own commanders! A low down backstabber!" Fangmon seemed angrier than they had ever seen him so far. "No matter, like all these Digimon you too can die and your Digitama actually made useful in rebirth!"

"I'll... never be reformatted," Bearmon groaned as he tried to get up from where he'd fallen. "I will never follow the path of cruelty again... you can't make me!"

"You've changed your tune..." Penmon muttered, receiving a jab from Bakumon to which he gave an indignant yelp.

"Fools! I will be your death!" Fangmon declared. "And I will end the lives of all the Chosen right here and now!"

"Not _all_ the Chosen!"

The voice called out from somewhere high above, and as all turned to look up suddenly there were loud yells and noises of surprise and suddenly one of the higher up cave entrances was blasted outwards, the Digimon within it falling to the sand and becoming Digitama upon impact with stone or floor. In their wake leapt a wave of other Digimon, hollering and whooping and shooting off attacks. Another two of the entrances suffered from the same dramatic entrance, with other entrances having their occupants flee from the edge and the barrage of attacks. Of the three groups, the one who had emerged at the lowest level had someone leap from it, supported by the two Candmon brothers to slow his descent. Connell landed and smirked at the group on the sands.

"How did you manage to get yourself caught? I thought Penmon there was the best!"

"Not even I can plan for everything!" Penmon replied, striking a boastful pose. "Your timely appearance is welcomed though."

"As well as the Rebellion!" Bakumon watched as the Rebellion continued to cause havoc. "How did you manage that?"

"Harsh truth."

"Kill the humans! The Chosen must not be allowed to leave here!"

Fangmon's command reached their ears at the same time as it did his army, and suddenly the lower cave levels were having their occupants drop to the sands, advancing on the group. Some of the Rebellion followed them down though and suddenly the sand was a pitched battle between both sides. Cerys and Bakumon were quickly separated from the others, targeted as they were by the army for being the sole known pairing for the Chosen. Fortunately Gotsumon and some others had joined with her to help Bakumon not be overwhelmed while fighting. During the battle Bakumon shot off another attack, then became aware that the subtle pressure in his head that he'd gotten in the fight with Floramon and had been slowly fading was finally gone. He experimentally took a sniff of the air and missed his next target, Cerys having to punch them away from her partner.

"Cerys! I can smell them!" Bakumon cried.

"I don't think this is the time Bakumon!"

"No, Cerys I can smell them!" Bakumon said, his face a mask of disbelief and excitement. "All of them! The other Partner Digimon! **They're all here!** "

"What?!" Cerys turned to face him, a Gazimon who had leapt for her missing his mark because she'd stopped moving to look at Bakumon.

 

Jordan had seen Ryuudamon's panic and had dashed over, scooping up as many of the younger Digimon as possible to help the caretaker pull them out of the fray lest they become unwitting casualties of the battle. He was just helping to push up a Punimon onto a very low ledge when he heard the attack from behind.

" ** _Hungry Hand!_** "

He turned to see a humanoid plant monster no bigger than his thigh aiming a vine-tipped claw at him, its black eyes glinting maliciously under its purple flower. Suddenly Ryuudamon was between them and the attack hit him, showing a green glow around his body as the energy sapped from the saurian Digimon. He flinched, then took aim.

" ** _Iai Blade!_** "

The attack struck the other Digimon in the head and it disengaged, stumbling back, clutching at the spot where a silvery small blade now sunk into its green face. Ryudamon collapsed to one knee and Jordan ran over to help him stand.

"Thank you."

"I... you're helping me. I had to..."

Jordan saw the gratitude in the Rookie Digimon's eyes under the worry and he smiled as the last few children began to gather round them, sharing in the moment. Then ahead of them both an orb materialised, catching their attention as Jordan felt that he was supposed to take it. So he did...

 

Kala had joined up with a pair of Rebellion Digimon of the same species, calling themselves Kotemon. At her insistence they had helped her make her way over to where Bearmon was, off to one side of the raging battle but where he would soon probably be attacked by one of his former colleagues looking for an easy target to kill. Sighting him, she indicated to the Kotemon that she was about to break and then did, covering ground as quickly as she could to reach Bearmon who was fortunately no worse than when he'd been hit by Fangmon's attack earlier. She began to drag him to the side quickly, as the Kotemon moved to protect them.

"Human... why? Why are you helping me?" Bearmon muttered, his eyes still closed from the pain he was in. "I played my... part in this. I hurt... innocent Digimon."

"You also saved a good many with your actions a few minutes ago," Kala said. "I saw in the prison just how hopelessness can affect many, and from what you said earlier... I don't think you did bad things because you wanted to. You felt you had no choice."

"I don't deserve you."

"What?"

Bearmon shakily raised his paw and placed it onto the back of one of Kala's hands, opening one eye to look up at her with an expression more tender than she had seen on his face yet. It wasn't the soldier anymore, but Bearmon's true inside thoughts showing on his face.

"Clockmon got your first name wrong, but I never... I never forgot the name of my human..."

Kala's eyes went wide in surprise and shock as Bearmon's other paw suddenly had a glowing orb appear over it...

 

" ** _Endless Slap!_** "

Penmon lashed out at the enemies around them, knocking back many and causing others to hesitate. Connell took advantage of this and swung at them with the cage bar he'd grabbed after a stray attack had blown the thing apart. As more of the enemies fell back they grinned to each other.

"Not bad for a human," Penmon commented.

"You're not bad yourself, based on how you appear," Connell replied. "You really might be a Partner after all."

"I am a Partner!" Penmon insisted again, boastfully puffing out his chest. "Is it not clear in the way I conduct myself?"

"Die!"

A Gazimon leapt from behind him while he was distracted, but Connell was quicker and hit the attacker away. Penmon looked up from the ducking position he'd assumed upon seeing Connell swing the bar.

"Not always Penmon."

Penmon huffed, kicking at the sand and revealing a piercing glow. Connell covered him as he picked it up, his eyes wide and reverent.

"It's happening!"

 

Cerys and Bakumon had begun to search for the other three Chosen, battling all the way through. They had spotted Kala first and travelled over to her, two Kotemon and Bearmon with her as she applied pressure to the worst of the bear cub's wounds to stop it bleeding so badly. Reaching them the Kotemon said nothing, nodding before going beyond them to protect the slightly larger group.

"Kala..." "Cerys!" They both spoke at the same time.

"No, you go first," Kala said with a gesture.

"Kala, they're all here! The other Partners are here!" Bakumon spoke first, unable to contain his excitement. "You could find them!"

"She already has..." Bearmon groaned.

Cerys looked to Kala for confirmation, who held up a similar Device to the one Cerys still wore while Bakumon looked between it and Bearmon.

"You're..." and Bakumon had to sit down. "You evolved!"

"Well, I'm glad you found yours so fast," Cerys said with a relieved sigh. "Do you know where the guys are?"

"Here!"

Connell and Penmon came running up to them, Penmon still clutching the Device to his chest in awe. Connell sighed.

"He just stopped fighting when he found it... how do I get him to let it go?"

"That's three," Cerys said, as Bakumon looked between his two fellow Partners frantically in shock. "Now where did Jordan go?"

"He went to help Ryuudamon," Kala supplied.

Penmon seemed to hear that last bit and finally looked about the others. "Then it'll be all of us paired. Ryuudamon is also a Partner."

"He is?!"

"Yes... when I came back to the area a while back I found him and recognised him immediately. Only, he didn't seem so willing to be a Partner anymore," Penmon frowned. "He asked me to forget him."

"I met all three of you and didn't know!" Bakumon had collapsed to the sand now, his eyes filled with joyful tears. "I'm so sorry for not recognising you but it's so great to see you again! I'm not alone!"

"Do we know if Jordan can form the bond though?" Connell asked. "After all wasn't it supposed to be-?"

" ** _B_ _ **l** ast Coffin!_**"

The attack ripped through the midst of battle, scattering Rebellion and army alike as Fangmon finally grew tired of watching and launched himself down to the sand. His howl sent Digimon running and through the crowd they saw Jordan and Ryuudamon attempting to follow the children up onto the ledge. Unfortunately so did Fangmon and he raced towards them.

"Children, run!" Ryuudamon cried to the young Digimon who saw Fangmon's approach and screamed.

Jordan stood his ground alongside Ryuudamon as the weakened Rookie prepared to try and delay Fangmon's chase of the younger Digimon, and they could see the Device in his hand too. Kala stood, supporting Bearmon against her as best she could.

"We have to do something!"

"Charge!" Penmon cried, before Connell, Cerys and Bakumon followed behind him.

"We'll never make it in time!" Connell cried.

"Jordan, Ryuudamon; run!" Cerys cried.

"He'll kill them!" Penmon cried. "Oh if only this floor wasn't sand I could get there in time!"

 

"Human, if you want to go I don't blame you..." Ryuudamon muttered to his human partner.

"No, I won't," Jordan said, his mind ringing with earlier words.

_... My point is that maybe you were the one who was always meant to be here..._

He was here. He had linked now to Ryuudamon, because that was surely the Digimon's heart he felt standing beside him. That link felt warm, it felt like... like Lewis. He would stay.

 

"I won't let them die!" Bakumon shouted as they passed through the fleeing crowds. "We're together. The four of us and the four of you and the Call was answered! We can't let this die so soon!"

Cerys was suddenly aware of time slowing down again, just as it had before at the start... when Gizamon was bearing down on her and Bakumon had leapt to intercept him as PetitMeramon... A miracle had occurred then and it'd given her a connection to this emotional little creature who now raced ahead of her screaming out his determination to save his fellow...

It was then that she noticed that somehow she could see inside of his body. See the wireframe faintly glowing under his skin, under his fur and his metal faceplate... and right in the centre of his body was something wild, something energetic and it was pulsing. In time to her own heartbeat.

_Bu-bum. Bu-bum. Bu-bum._

It was a noise in her ears, drowning out everything else which had faded to almost nothing. And the wild energy inside him was growing ever wilder, ever more frantically whirling and writhing. It was threatening to burst forward and had a feeling she knew what was about to happen next, as Fangmon continued his charge for Ryuudamon and Jordan; for their fellow Chosen.

"Go Bakumon!" she cried, bringing up her Device and seeing it reacting to the turmoil inside of her Partner Digimon. "You can reach Fangmon! You can intercept him! Just as you did last time with Gizamon!"

"I feel it Cerys!" Bakumon's cry was jubulant. "The surge! I can reach it! The next stage!"

He leapt forward with a burst of speed, jumping onto a collapsed Digimon and leaping into the air as he began to shimmer all over. Cerys and Connell came to a halt, and Penmon stopped ahead of them watching Bakumon.

"I suppose he would be the first, he's been connected longer than the rest of us..." he muttered.

 

**Bakumon Shinka!**


	15. Accepting Destiny

**Bakumon Shinka!**

The last time she'd seen her Partner evolve, Cerys had been more focused on the incoming attack from Gizamon to pay much attention to PetitMeramon's attempt to intercept. Even so, she did remember there'd been some glowing light from his direction before his new larger form had slammed the frog-like Digimon away from her. Now as this larger self once again began to glow all her attention was focused on him, her heart racing in excitement, the Device thrumming against her wrist and her whole body beginning to lift higher with adrenaline. She could almost taste Bakumon's drive to catch Fangmon before he reached the pair of Jordan and Ryuudamon and she knew that the joy in her body was not just hers alone. In this second she was truly linked with the young Rookie, mind and soul.

The glow seemed to break through his skin and suddenly they began to see the wireframe underneath as his body began to flake off in rectangles, squares and pieces of all different shapes, slowly at first but speeding up to fully reveal the glowing greenish outline underneath, the wild, thrashing mass of energy at his centre throwing out arms of an almost primal power that seemed almost to force those parts that had just torn away from his form to begin to orbit around him, combining together to form a mass that surrounded Bakumon from sight and only seemed to grow larger as it violently began to crackle with the turmoil of evolution. Just as the gathered Digimon in the room turned to look, the mass slowly began to almost fold it upon itself; long streams of the energy-sodden data particles peeling off from their orbits to track back towards the Digimon inside. They saw the two legs, held forward in a leap begin to reform; longer, stronger and ended in steeled hooves. They had a flash of a rapidly reforming flank, two more strong legs being built from the returning data and a long tail behind that being built from the end up to join to the body. New green wireframe broke through the top of the mass as two more limbs formed on his back, the data still in the midst of trying to cling and stick to it to give it solid form and as the last of the mass began to vanish and reset itself upon the new body below it, Bakumon's head was pushed through, leaving trails of the data in its wake as a helmet formed over determined blue eyes and the evolution completed with a wave of energy that echoed around the chamber, finally catching the attention of Fangmon. He looked over his shoulder and his narrow eyes widened slightly in astonishment.

Continuing the leap he had started in Bakumon form, the new Digimon was a much larger beast. Resembling a white horse with blonde mohawk mane and tail, its body was covered in nicks and cuts that seemed more aesthetic than real. Four bolted hooves tipped his legs, two large dark wings protruded from his back and like Bakumon the top of his head had a metallic cover, although this one was larger, coloured red and protected the entire top of his head and face with one large long horn as part of it.

**Unimon!**

"What the-?" Connell cried, taken aback at what had just happened. "What happened to Bakumon?"

"He evolved!" Penmon cried. "This is proof! We could still fix it all!"

Unimon landed now and continued to charge towards the stunned Fangmon, who had come to a halt from the event that had just unfolded behind him. Around them they began to hear Digimon talk, Rebellion and army alike.

"Did you see?"

"The human made the Partner evolve!"

"Now we're for it..."

"They are Chosen!"

"We're saved!"

"It's a bit soon to be saying that," Connell muttered about that last one.

"Go Unimon!" Cerys shouted. "Knock him down!"

Unimon was well on his way to doing that already, now lowering his head to bring his new horn into play, wings flapping in the wind on his back. Fangmon managed to leap clear of Unimon's charge, and the new Champion skidded to a halt, the loose sand hindering his attempt to bring himself to a full stop and causing both Jordan and Ryuudamon to dash to one side just in case Unimon collided with them instead. Fortunately he did not and revved himself up to charge again at Fangmon, yelling all the while.

"So you evolved?" Fangmon growled. "Ha, you're just a child! You don't even know how to control your new body yet, never mind the new power!" But he didn't sound so sure anymore regardless.

"I just need to handle it long enough to take you out!" Unimon cried.

Again Fangmon dodged Unimon's charge, and the horse-like Champion managed to come to a halt easier this time, managing to turn around in the same movement although they could all tell that he was still getting used to his new body, especially (Cerys guessed) having four fully formed legs now and the speed it seemed to give him.

"You've been so confident all this time, so fight me!" Unimon said. "Or are you afraid of an actual challenge?"

Fangmon's howl of laughter was mocking. "You, a challenge? Don't get carried away partnered one! You're only borrowing power from your human while I reached my form naturally. I'll tear you apart and make you watch as I devour your human."

"Never."

With that both Digimon charged at each other, slamming against the other in a contest of strength as they struggled to push back the other. As all eyes turned to watch, Gotsumon saw their chance.  
  
"Let's get the Chosen out of here!" he cried.  
  
The Rebellion Digimon all reacted first, most knocking down their opponents who had all gotten distracted by Bakumon's evolution and the fight going on now between him and Fangmon. A few began scuffling with their opponents again before they were helped out by their victorious teammates, quickly flattening the army. The two Kotemon were joined by others as they surrounded both Kala and Bearmon, helping the woman to support and carry her Partner back towards the same lower ledge that Ryuudamon's children were upon. Ryuudamon and Jordan joined them and helped to push Bearmon up, the younger Digimon attempting to help pull the injured Rookie up onto the ledge with them. Connell was about to make his move when he realised that both Penmon and Cerys were still stood where they were, watching the fight.  
  
"Come on, we need to move!" he said.  
  
"I can't leave Unimon," Cerys said, not even taking her eyes away from the fight even as Fangmon began to try and bring his jaws into play. "He needs my support."  
  
"I cannot leave my teammate," Penmon said, although he did turn to Connell. "He might need my help."  
  
"He's got it in hand Penmon, come on!" and Connell tried to grab his Digimon around the middle, although Penmon began to struggle and squawk.  
  
"AAARGH!"  
  
Both stopped as Unimon gave a cry of pain and Cerys took a step forward. Fangmon had finally managed to lock his jaws upon Unimon, the long snout clamped down on one shoulder and along the back of the white neck. The wolf Digimon snarled triumphantly and Unimon began to shift backwards, his hooves slipping in the sandy coating of the floor.  
  
"Unimon, throw him!" Cerys shouted.  
  
"Throw him?" Unimon asked, then realised. "Throw him!"  
  
He allowed the front leg on the side Fangmon hadn't bitten to collapse down, sinking to the sand. He looped his head under Fangmon and before the other Champion could react, threw his weight upwards, the back of the helmet catching the throat of Fangmon and forcing him to let go. Unimon pressed his advantage forward and got fully under the other Digimon, throwing him backwards and up onto his hind legs, Fangmon's two front paws flailing in the air as he tried to regain balance and throw himself forward.  
  
"Now's your chance!" Penmon cried. "Attack Unimon!"  
  
Unimon opened his mouth and took aim, locking his legs slightly wider to give himself a firmer foundation. As light began to gather into a ball of energy between the unicorn's mouth, they could see Fangmon's eyes widen in horror as he realised this attack was going to hit his underbelly and there was nothing he could do to avoid it.  
  
" ** _Holy Shot!_** " Unimon screamed, as he shot the formed energy blast at the red wolf.  
  
The attack caught Fangmon in the middle, blowing him fully backwards and into the sand in a heap. As he lay there and attempted to struggle back to his feet Unimon charged again, his step marred slightly by the pain and blood in his neck and shoulder. However, his attack caught Fangmon square in the chest, his horn bypassing the head and begining its strike from the base of the neck. Fangmon froze for a second, before collapsing again, this time his sides stopping their movement as he died and began to break down into a data cloud. As it began to swirl back into a Digitama Unimon's damaged shoulder caused his leg to buckle and his jaw hit the floor. Cerys dashed over as his form glowed and in an explosion of light Bakumon was lying in an exhausted heap on the sand. He smiled as Cerys picked him up off the floor.  
  
"That... was a tough battle," he said.  
  
"Well done," she replied, scratching behind his ear. "You won, although..." and she touched his shoulder, still sticky with blood from puncture wounds that hadn't healed during his devolution. "We're going to need to get this shoulder of yours patched up before we do anything else."

 

Dorimon had never really seen many other Digimon of his age. Usually they would be quickly picked up by the wandering patrols of Fangmon's and those who weren't usually ended up in Ryuudamon's care. Dorimon wasn't allowed to play with Ryuudamon's wards anymore. Not since the incident.

Kyaromon had followed them to the surface and then to the waiting point where they'd gathered after playing distraction. When Gotsumon and the others had decided to follow Connell into the heart of Fangmon's lair, Dorimon had been charged with taking their guest back down into the tunnels for safety. He'd complained a little bit about being babied but had taken Kyaromon down into safety. He knew his duty as a member of the Rebellion, even though he didn't always like it. He also knew that if things went haywire he was to flee to the next area and the next Cell. What he'd do with Kyaromon in that case was a mystery though, he didn't have orders for that.

When the Rebellion came back, having not only survived their mission but with the news of Fangmon's defeat Dorimon had been stunned. Yet that and the other good news of the four Chosen pairs finally having been matched up paled in comparison to the wave of young Digimon who Dorimon was now running around with having more fun than he'd ever previously had in his short life.

Watching them play Ryuudamon nervously rubbed his claws together, trying his best not to interfere. The children were having such a good time but they were inside a Rebellion base. This was completely counter to his plans to keep them safe, keep them away from anything that could mark them as against the regime controlling the Digital World. Mind you, his having a human partner now was a big spanner in those works...

How could he have allowed it all to go so badly wrong?

"We never got to introduce ourselves."

Ryuudamon turned round to see the human, his human approaching him. Strange, the boy seemed almost hesitant in some way, but his offered hand was a warm gesture.

"I'm Jordan..."

"Ryuudamon," he said, turning his attention back to the children. "I'm so glad that most of my young charges came out of that place alive."

"The Rebellion managed to recover Cupimon's eg- i mean, Digitama," Jordan said. "So when he hatches back out again, it'll be as if they were never lost."

"No," Ryuudamon shook his head. "The Digimon inside will start off the same, but there's no guarantee that he'll continue to evolve down the same path as he was before Fangmon-" He drew off, gulped. "And his memories will be lost. He won't be the same Digimon anymore."

"I'm sorry we couldn't save him."

"That's just it, it's what I was trying to prevent." Ryuudamon grit his fangs. "Why did they have to discover who I was? Why? It's not fair, I chose not to follow that path. I wasn't doing anything!"

"But now you have no choice."

They both turned to see Penmon waddling down the passage towards them. He stopped and pointed a wing at Ryuudamon.

"I know that you wanted to protect the young ones, it was a great and noble thing you did," Penmon said. "But in the end, you couldn't stop Bearmon and his Gazimon from arresting you and taking in all of your children. You can't stop evil by just ignoring it, it won't help anything."

"I never wanted to be a hero!" Ryuudamon snarled at the bird. "All that suffering, chaos, battle... it's made so many orphans and torn families apart. The world is in the grip of darkness and we're years too late to stop it. What can we four small Rookies do?"

"Work together with our humans," Penmon said. "You wanted me to forget about you, forget about the other Partner so close by. I did, even though I wondered why you'd want to run from our destiny. Now, it's caught up with you. What're you going to do now?"

Ryuudamon snorted. "I'm going to take my children and the Digitama and we're going home. I need to look after them, who will if I can't?"

"The Rebellion has places, they can be sent there."

"And grow up indoctrinated as much as if they were in Fangmon's camp? No!"

Penmon growled back and quickly Jordan pushed himself between his Digimon and Penmon. The children, having witnessed the last few bits of the discussion began to whimper and Ryuudamon quickly spun round and walked over, shushing them.

"Don't cry, it'll be alright." He sat down on the floor and began to rock a tiny Leafmon in his claws.

"Ryuudamon, you have to let the Rebellion take charge of the little ones now," Jordan said, in his most reasonable voice. "You can't think that alone you'll be able to stop evil killing them if it really wants to."

Ryuudamon gave a choke, gripping the Leafmon's small body slightly tighter causing it to squeak and wiggle. The saurian seemed lost in thoughts too painful to handle judging by the expression on his face.

"Ryuudamon?"

"I can't just let them go," Ryuudamon said, his voice trembling. "They need me. I don't want them to grow up into warriors for either side. Why can't we just go about our lives? Forget that a war is tearing apart the world around us?"

"Because we're Partners," Penmon answered. "Clockmon chose us for a reason. And while they do need you, they need you out there, fighting for not just their right to a life without war, but all Digimons' right to it."

Ryuudamon was silent again for a long while. "I wish you weren't right."

"I'm always right!" Penmon replied.

Jordan gave him a look and Penmon quickly retreated from the room. Jordan waited until the other Digimon and had vanished and walked to Ryuudamon and the children. He saw how tightly drawn in upon himself the Rookie was and bent down behind him, gripping him in a hug. He felt Ryuudamon's body give release to the tension and sadness within as the saurian began to weep big, thick tears down his snout, silently shaking.

"I'm sorry..."


	16. The Next Step

Kala didn't quite know what woke her up from her borrowed bed in the Rebellion base that night.  
  
The rest of the day had been spent helping the Rebellion pack up so they could move out tomorrow morning just as day broke, hopefully before the forces left over from Fangmon's base could regroup and track them all down. The four human Chosen and their partners had been led back to the room Gotsumon had offered to Connell and Jorden earlier. The room was still small but more beds had been shoved inside, meaning there was space for all of them just about. Because they knew that they needed an early start they'd all silently decided not to protest and had quickly gotten into bed, one human each to a bed with their Digimon either choosing to sleep on their own in a mass of provided cushion and blanket or with their human partner in Bakumon's case. Either way, they'd all gone straight to sleep, no discussion of the day they'd had or getting to know the three Digimon who had so recently had to embrace the role they'd been born for; they were all just too tired.  
  
She blinked a few times in the dimness of the room, letting her eyes adjust to the gloom. Around her she could hear the slight noises of sleep that came from the other beds and the heap of Digimon in the cushions and blankets. Ryuudamon had curled up on his stomach, tail touching his nose after he'd been persuaded to leave his young charges in the same room as Dorimon who was overjoyed to have friends to sleep with. Penmon had leant himself against the saurian's back and used him as a pillow, foresaking his place in his other room here to be closer to his human partner who hadn't seemed quite to know what to make of Penmon's desire to spend time with him. Bearmon had been helped back to the Rebellion base as he was still greatly injured from Fangmon's assault, and had been treated and bandaged. Digimon healed fast they'd said, but Bearmon had been very quiet since they'd left the great thicket of trees. Kala had made him a bed of a few pillows and draped a blanket over him but now she could see that the bed was empty, and the door to the room open a crack.  
  
She slipped her feet out from under the covers, flinching slightly as the bare soles touched the icy cold stone floor. She briefly debated putting her socks and shoes back on but decided against it. The Rebellion had worn down the floors here smooth so it was unlikely that she would badly injure her feet. If she was careful. She quietly tiptoed across the room and slipped through the door, looking for signs as to where Bearmon might have gone. Seeing another open door a short way down the corridor she decided to try it first and was rewarded by seeing that on the other side was a familiar looking shadow.  
  
The room was much the same size as their bedroom was, but the walls were curved and the roof rough and unfinished. Instead of any furniture or beds there was instead just another mass of pillow and blankets, and heaped upon it were Dorimon and all of Ryuudamon's young children, every one of them peaceful in slumber. Bearmon stood just inside the door, watching them with an odd expression on his face. At first Kala wondered if he'd heard her, but then he spoke, quietly.  
  
"Ryuudamon is right, they're innocent in all this," he said. "So innocent, so small and so young... just like we were."  
  
"Bearmon?" Kala asked, trying to imply more questions with just that one word.  
  
"I've done some terrible things," Bearmon whispered, his voice still disciplined even if it caught the tinest bit. "Are you sure that you're happy with a partner who has committed such acts?"  
  
"I... Bearmon, we've only just properly met," Kala replied. "I can't comment on you as a person, but I think that you can't be that bad. Not if you're meant to help save this world."  
  
Bearmon snorted. "I was told that, as were the other three. Trouble is, we're eight years too late to do it. And if that part of 'destiny' turned out false who's to say I am such a good and worthy Digimon?"  
  
"I will," Kala said, entering the room and standing beside him. "I'll be there to help guide you. To assure you. Because if you're standing here now, asking me if your past will make you bad forever you're already swinging back the other way. It's just going to take you some time before you believe it too."  
  
Bearmon sighed, but he didn't say anything. Kala thought.  
  
"You know, from our first meeting I think I knew," she said. "Something inside me made me tell you my name, my full name. I didn't have any reason to do that. But I felt a connection."  
  
Bearmon didn't look back at her. "That name. When I heard it something inside me relit. I had long since given up hope of the humans coming, as have many of the Digimon. But I never forgot your name, and when you told me it suddenly I saw that my partner had arrived. I began to hope again, but the price is that all the times I ignored my better judgements are now coming back to haunt me..."  
  
Kala gently rested a hand on his hat. "As I told you, it'll just take time."  
  
Bearmon frowned and shrugged off her hand, which she removed with an apologetic grimace. Bearmon turned and left the room.  
  
"We should probably get some rest. Long day tomorrow."  
  
"Y-yeah."  
  
  
"You're _still_ insisting on us being the Rebellion's weapon then?"  
  
Gotsumon took a step back from Connell's angry question. "As I've said before, it is the best. Now that we have found your partners it's more important than ever that we keep you safe!"  
  
"We're not just your pawns in this!"  
  
"Neither is this your world, human."  
  
Connell scowled at the new voice, the Champion level Digimon that had arrived earlier at the base was one of the Rebellion members from another nearby cell of the Rebellion, a stronger one. Gururumon was an off-white striped wolf with dark stripes and tufts of fur protruding from his shoulders. As he stepped closer to Connell his mane ruffled around his lupine face.  
  
"As a member of the Rebellion I cannot allow you four to go out into our world unprepared and unguided," he said. "Especially not with so much of the World under the control of the opposing forces right now. I will escort you into the next area and to my cell, after which hopefully the main HQ can send out a flying squad to come retrieve you and take you to safety."  
  
"I still don't like this."  
  
"Connell, shut up," Cerys chipped in from the other side of the room, where she was doing one last check on Bakumon's shoulder before they left. "Gururumon makes a good point. How far do you think we'd get on our own?"  
  
He glared at her. "Odd coming from the woman who dragged three of the people she hasn't spoken to in years off on some adventure because she got a pet talking animal thing telling her to do so."  
  
"I'm also one that realises we'll need all the help we can get."

Connell began to walk over to the woman, but Kala got between them, hands held out to block Connell but she did spare a dirty look at Cerys too for her bluntness.

"Let's just go," she said. "We've no better place to start or ideas about what to do next anyway."

Connell made a noise. "Fine. But I'm still not happy about this."

Gururumon ignored him, and turned to head out of the room. Cerys pulled a bag of food onto her shoulder, satisfied that Bakumon was better now and began to follow. Outside the room Jordan waited with Ryuudamon and Penmon, while Bearmon lounged by the beginning of the tunnel up to the surface across the corridor. Rebellion members busily rushed past preparing for their own journey and it was clear from the looks they shot the Rookie that they still weren't entirely sure about having a former member of the enemy team so close by. Behind her Cerys heard the other two humans and Gotsumon also beginning to follow Gururumon's exit. Outside the Champion paused and looked around the members of the Chosen and their Partners, all now carrying some supplies given graciously by the Rebellion members of this cell.

"Are we ready to depart?" he asked. "Because once we leave here, we will not be able to come back. Be sure you have all you want to take with you."

At that Ryuudamon made a funny strangled sound, his head and claws twitching up briefly, but when Gururumon looked towards him he returned his eyes to the floor. He still looked utterly miserable with what was happening. Jordan too looked a little uncertain, but Cerys knew that the two of them would follow behind. By now one of Fangmon's underlings had probably managed to escape to nearby enemy forces and the news would soon circulate around the Digital World - the Call had finally been answered. Humans were in the Digital World at last. Bearmon took a step forward.

"Nothing for me to bring," he said, a bandage still adorning his middle where a wound still hadn't quite finished healing up the night before. "I don't really think I need any of it though."

Gururumon stared out the bear cub for a moment, with Bearmon ignoring this. It was clear that the Rebellion Champion also didn't trust Bearmon entirely given his past. He looked away though once he realised what he was doing and cleared his throat.

"Okay then; it is time for us to begin our journey Chosen."

He walked towards the exit, passing Bearmon and vanishing into the darkness. Bearmon turned to watch and Kala joined him, hesitating about whether to touch her Partner before finally deciding against it. She did catch his eye though and give him an encouraging and understanding smile, which Bearmon returned a little sadly. They then were the first pair to follow after Gururumon, followed by Connell and Penmon. Before they could get going though, a small fluffball raced down another passage towards Ryuudamon, who turned at the sound of scampering paws. It was Kyaromon, closely tailed by Dorimon.

"Caretaker! Going?" Kyaromon barked out.

"I'm afraid... yes," Ryuudamon said sadly, all his attention focused onto the young In-Training monster in front of him. "I tried not to but... I really don't want to leave you and the others."

"Kyaro find help. Glad you safe," Kyaromon yapped, the big fluffy tail wagging. "Kyaro will see again! When Kyaro bigger and caretaker hero!"

"Hero?" Ryuudamon asked.

"All Digital World know you kind!" Dorimon cried. "Kyaromon tell Dorimon you kind. Kyaromon supporting you."

"Kyaro not forget. Caretaker not forget see Kyaro again one day?"

Ryuudamon was quiet for a moment and then he nodded, his eyes still not entirely untroubled but his demaneor a little better than it had been.

"I'll do you proud little one."

"I'll make sure he finds you again," Jordan said, joining the conversation. "Ryuudamon can look after me for a while and I'll look after him. Okay?"

"Human Chosen will protect," Dorimon said, and nodded in a very final way. "Dorimon will look after other young Digimon for Ryuudamon."

He scampered away and Kyaromon followed, giggling. Ryuudamon held up a claw as if to try and stop Kyaromon, but his mouth hung open as he realised that he shouldn't stop them. Couldn't stop them.

"B-Be good... for me Kyaromon. You and all my children..."

 

_"B-Be good for me... Kyokyo...mon. Promise me..."_

 

"Ryuudamon?"

Ryuudamon looked up at his partner, and tried to master his expression.

"I suppose I have no choice now, you're here. The one I was waiting for... no matter what I feel I have to come with you."

"Y-yeah." Jordan averted his eyes. "I'm sorry to have to take you away."

"Penmon was right, I have a duty to the entire World," Ryuudamon sighed. "Kyaromon, all of them are counting on me to help make the entire World safe enough that Digimon like me don't have to protect them forever."

"I'm just as unsure as you," Jordan confessed. "I hope that I can be a good partner to you..."

"You have the Device. Why shouldn't you be?" Ryuudamon asked.

Jordan hesitated, unsure if he ought to confess to Ryuudamon that he wasn't the one who was supposed to be partnered to the saurian, his brother had been. Cerys appeared behind him and touched his shoulder, startling him before he could decide what to do though.

"Didn't you hear Gururumon, we've got to go!"

"Sorry," and Jordan was running off towards the exit, Ryuudamon following a moment after. Cerys watched and sighed.

"I helped you out for now, but you'll have to tell him some time Jordan..."

 

The Veggiemon cowered in front of the giant figure in front of it, the body forever in motion from the flames coating it yet no light being given off by the dark flames. They were currently giving a loud raucous scream of fury. When it had ended Veggiemon felt them address him again.

"You are sure that you saw the bonds form between the Humans and their Partners?"

"Y-yes. Fangmon brought them together... without knowing. The one who had been bonded longest was the one who murdered him though, evolving all of a sudden and then stabbing Fangmon with the horn."

The giant flaming figure gave another scream and Veggiemon flinched down. All of a sudden he was aware of others in the darkness around him, smaller Digimon who had come at their leaders cry.

"I guess then it falls to me to find these humans and make sure they can't evolve the other Partner Digimon," the giant flaming figure said. "Thank you for the forewarning Veggiemon... it means I will get to them that much quicker. Much as I hate to rush a victory, these Chosen cannot be allowed to remain in this World alive..."


	17. Sweet Onions

Bakumon was troubled.  
  
For many years he had waited in the ruin of Clockmon's room, standing by the portal and listening, reaching out for the touch of his human partner. Over the years he only ever left the room when he'd had to, either to go find food or to avoid capture by those Digimon who had turned to working for the threat to the Digital World. He had kept his focus on the Call, that signal that Clockmon had never turned off once it'd been flicked on. As the distant sounds of battle and cries outside had threatened to intrude upon his vigil he'd focuses ever harder on waiting, on hoping that one day he'd feel that alien touch of a being inside his own self; a strange feeling that would yet be so comforting and warm and familiar that he'd never know how he'd managed to live without it. At least, that's what Clockmon had told them all it'd feel like. And as PetitMeramon, lost and alone, he'd very much wanted that feeling. It was why he'd sworn at first to never give up.  
  
As the years ticked on though he found that it was only that hope that kept him going through it all. Through the loneliness of being the only one of the four Partners here; through the fear of being captured and killed for who he was. All the boredom, the fear, the worry... it'd all be worth it once his human came back for him. When they could gather together the other Partner Digimon and begin to at least accomplish their goal.  
  
He'd never for a moment entertained the idea that some of his fellows might not be as enthusiastic to follow fate as he had been.  
  
Gururumon had led them through the forests of the area they had landed in, ahead of the group as the others followed behind and kept themselves alert for danger. The Rebellion Digimon and Gururumon had assured them that Fangmon had been one of the few Champion stage monsters in the area, so they shouldn't have to worry if they were attacked. All the same, they had to be careful who saw them before they got into the next area and lost their tree cover in what they'd been told was a much more barren landscape. All the way everyone had been quiet, without much conversation going on. It was finally sinking into their heads that right now they were all very much in danger.  
  
Such was the price of being a hero Bakumon thought. He'd never really considered how _scary_ this would be.

  
  
After they'd been relentlessly plowing on through the forest for what seemed an eternity Gururumon finally brought them into a small clearing bordered by mainly the same forest they'd been travelling through since leaving the base of the Rebellion, tangled trees and brush painting a wild camouflage around them. One side however was a sheer wall of rock, that led up to a cliff that curved downwards in the manner of a bird of prey beak. By the looks of it, the cliff was just the tip of an elevated rocky plateau that stuck from the treeline. Leading them over to the cliff, Gururumon looked to the sky.

"Night should be upon us soon," he said, before turning to the eight. "We're resting up here tonight. Stay here, I'll find us something to eat."

"But we brought food with us!" Connell protested, indicating to his bag.

Gururumon snorted. "I prefer fresh. You all need your strength too for your task ahead. I will be back soon."

"What do you want us to do if we're attacked while you're away?" Kala asked, her voice a little worried but keeping level.

Gururumon thought. "I was told that one of your Partners is already capable of temporary evolution to the next level. Hopefully they will be able to achieve that power again in dangerous spots, or potentially one of the other three." He looked at the four smaller Digimon as if sizing them up. "If however this doesn't happen, I advise you to move away from this place as fast as you can or to lose your pursuers in the thick forest. Whatever happens to me, they cannot be allowed to capture any of you. I'm sure that one knows why.

They all followed his glare as it settled on Bearmon, who scowled, following his arms.

"Yes, I'm all too familiar with what they'll do to us if we're captured," Bearmon replied. "So I'll make sure that it doesn't happen. I won't go back with them."

"That remains to be seen."

With that Gururumon leapt back into the forest, as Bearmon took a step forward, growling. Kala managed to hook her arms around his arms, but the Digimon squirmed angrily in her grip.

"I'm not that Digimon anymore!" he shouted at the spot Gururumon had vanished. "Do you hear me? You think being in the Rebellion makes you better than me? If I wasn't a Partner...!"

"Bearmon, shh," Kala soothed, trying to stop him breaking free. "Don't listen to him, he doesn't know you."

"I do, and I agree with Gururumon," Penmon said.

"What did you say to me beak-face?" Bearmon shouted, managing to break free from Kala's hold.

He charged at Penmon who dodged Bearmon's first pounce, but wasn't quite quick enough to evade the sucker punch to the head. Angry, Penmon retaliated with a peck at Bearmon's ears, and the two Digimon began to brawl there in the clearing; insults being thrown by both sides as the rest of the group continued to watch.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Kala asked, worried. "They could kill each other!"

"No, it's fine. They're not calling their special attacks," Bakumon assured everyone.

Connell slapped his hand gently to his face. "If nothing else though, that racket's going to draw any hostile Digimon in the area this way."

"I... I'll try to separate them," Ryuudamon volunteered, before cautiously approaching the whirling mass of anger that was Penmon and Bearmon.

He approached carefully, gently rubbing his front claws together in a nervous way. Eventually he took a deep breath and tried to reach in to grab each of the two brawlers to separate them. Grabbing hold of something he pulled.

"Stay out of this!"

With a smack Ryuudamon was hit under his jaw with a fist, and he stumbled backwards, before tumbling into the grass on his back. He shook his head as his eyes spun from both the impact of the punch and the knock as he'd hit the ground.

"Ow...!"

"We have a long way to go for the teamwork the Digital World expects from us..." Cerys groaned.

A sudden rustling from the bushes made them look around, with the exception of Penmon and Bearmon who were still too involved with each other to hear. As Jordan helped him to his feet, Ryuudamon tensed up.

"Someone's there," he whispered.

Bakumon took a sniff of the air. "It's not Gururumon. I don't recognise the scent..."

The bushes rustled again, this time with a patch nearby visibly moving. This time it registered with the two fighting Digimon who both stopped to look. As he was distracted, Bearmon took the opportunity and smacked Penmon down onto the ground, causing the bird Digimon to squawk loudly. They all looked back at the two of them as Bearmon backed off, smirking.

"Bearmon!" Kala scolded.

"What? He should know better than to look away during a fight, if he's such an experienced Rebellion member."

"Ugh... you might say you've gone good but you still fight dirty!" Penmon snarled. "Typical."

A further and more sustained rustle from the bushes stopped Bearmon from going in for another try, and the group automatically bunched together a little with Bakumon and Bearmon stepping forward ready to fight. Penmon was halfway up and also poised. The only Digimon that wasn't ready to go was Ryuudamon, although to be fair it was more because his head was still spinning than his usual pacifistic reluctance to fighting. As they watched suddenly a blue flower with long petal poked out from the bush, low to the ground. As this wasn't what they had been expecting they all paused, confused.

"H-Hello?"

The voice that called was tiny, very high-pitched. As they watched the owner of it emerged, that blue flower rooted to the top of their head. The rest of their body was a small pink ball with a variety of tiny pink root-like feet at its base. In all, it seemed to resemble a sentient pink sprouting onion with big green eyes.

"You're a Pyocomon!" Ryuudamon said.

"Pyocomon?" Everyone turned to him.

"An In-Training, they're generally very friendly little Digimon," Ryuudamon said. "But it's rare to see one on its own..."

Just as he said that, they suddenly realised that more blue flowers were emerging from the bushes and marching out attached to Pyocomon of their own. They didn't seem to be surrounding them though, grouping up in a general pack behind the first Pyocomon and blinking curiously at the sight before them. Bakumon relaxed down, as did Penmon who struggled back to his feet. Bearmon however seemed almost disappointed that they weren't about to be ambushed.

"You're... humans," the first Pyocomon said, looking around at the two men and two women in the group and then looking at the four Digimon with them. "So that means... you must be the latest group from the Partner Program! Did they try again after last time? How? We thought the Program had been dismantled!"

"Erm, not quite," Jordan said. "Actually that last time was... well, the Call that went out has finally been received and we came to answer it."

All of the Pyocomon began chatting animatedly and surged forward, excitedly crowding around and asking questions to the four larger Digimon. The lead Pyocomon however had seemed surprised, their mouth open slightly. With a shake they got hold of themselves.

"We're so happy you're here," they said, "But you can't stay out here, anyone could find you!"

"We're not alone," Kala assured them. "We're with a Gururumon, he's just gone to get food."

"You should come with us to our village!" one of the many Pyocomon piped up.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Come to our village!" many little voices piped up around them.

Connell put out restraining hands to the massed pink onions. "Whoa whoa, we can't go anywhere with any of you."

"Connell does have a point, Gururumon told us to stay here and wait for him," Jordan pointed out.

"I could stay behind and tell him where you went if you want!" the first Pyocomon said.

"Well..." Cerys said.

"It really would be safer for you in our village with us."

"What do you think?" Cerys turned to the others.

"It would be nice to have more eyes watching," Penmon admitted. "Even smaller ones."

"We can't go, we'll be putting them into danger!" Ryuudamon cried. "If any of these Digimon got hurt because of me..."

"They've offered though Ryuudamon," Kala pointed out. "And we don't have to stay inside of their village. Looking at them I don't think they'd have buildings our size anyway. If we camp nearby and any hostile Digimon came along we could easily hide or run away without implicating the Pyocomon in this."

Ryuudamon frowned, but he did at least seem to be mulling it over. Just as he did this, the sky suddenly went dark straight across in one swoop, the darkness seeming to sweep across and overwrite the bright sky above. There were a few startled exclamations from the humans, and then Connell swore.

"Oh fuck this, I'm going with them," he said. "With or without any of you. I don't care."

"I'm going with you!" Penmon said.

"Yeah, count us in too," Kala said, indicating herself and Bearmon.

The other four all nodded too, although with some reluctance from Ryuudamon and Jordan. They then turned to the lead Pyocomon again.

"Gururumon should be back in a few minutes, tell him where we went."

"I'll lead him there myself, I promise!"

"Okay, lead on Pyocomon," Cerys said, looking around the group of Pyocomon.

With a happy cry the Pyocomon began to file back into the bushes, with cries of "Yay!" and "This way humans!" being heard over the general noise. The eight of them began to follow behind and with the crowd, each carefully picking their way through the bushes. The lead Pyocomon watched them go, smiling until they and the other Pyocomon were well out of sight and earshot. Pyocomon then sighed loudly.

"You played your part well little brother."

"I didn't think it would be so easy," Pyocomon admitted out loud, as another figure dropped from a nearby tree. "They are still too trusting."

The other Digimon laughed. "Well, they should have a reason for that. You are the only one in your village who even knows of this plan."

"I won't let you down," Pyocomon said, turning to the other Digimon with a serious expression. "The master will be pleased. It'll be so much easier for them to find the Chosen in the place we know we can destroy them easily."

"That it will," and the Digimon stepped into the clearing, their pink feathers barely visible in the dull moonlight. "If all goes to plan, we'll be rid of them before all of their Partners can properly bond with them. Then nothing will stop us."

"And... my village? You did say Piyomon..."

"Safe under our protection," Piyomon assured them. "And you'll get your own personal reward too. I know how much you've wanted to fly Pyocomon..."

Pyocomon smiled, imagining themselves with wings large enough to sustain their weight in flight through the air. With a shake they brought themselves back to reality.

"We need to get out of here before Gururumon comes back."

"Yes, we can't have him knowing where we've taken the humans and their pet Digimon," Piyomon said. "We'll do our best to keep him busy long enough that he won't as well, at least not until it's too late."

Pyocomon chuckled darkly. "Until next time." And they leapt into the bushes to make their way home.

"Until next time, little brother..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (No, I don't know why I gave the chapter this title either.)


	18. Dragon's Power

"What are you waiting for? Make him evolve!"

"I can't!"

"Jordan, relax. You can do this!"

"No, I can't! I'm not..."

He was alone, the only one left still standing. Ryuudamon was the only Partner still able to continue the battle. But against this opponent they couldn't win, not as they were. Ryuudamon had to evolve...

But the Device wasn't reacting. It wasn't responding to his need and Jordan had realised he was in over his head. He might be somewhat bonded to Ryuudamon but did he really know the Digimon? Understand him enough to fight with him? No, he didn't. He didn't understand and he didn't know what to do now with his fellow Chosen helpless and the other Partners out of the fight. The hulking mass of black flame was approaching Ryuudamon and his Partner was looking around at him helplessly. Pleading silently for Jordan to _help him_.

Lewis would have known how to.

 

The group had followed their guides into the thick forest, pushing through plantlife and past branches, the Pyocomon around them disappearing through the greenery. Sometimes the only parts of them visible were those blue flowers on their heads but the eight of them were never behind the group, the pink Digimon travelling around them and helping guide them onwards towards their village. As they walked the Pyocomon chattered excitedly but mainly to each other and the conversations overlapped so much that none of them could tell what they were saying.

"I'm still not 100% sure this is the best idea," Jordan muttered.

"Well, they do have a point that we might be safer in their village," Kala pointed out. "We can get out of there if we need to anyway, or maybe if we have to Bakumon can evolve again to fight off anything hostile that's threatening the Pyocomon because of us."

"I'll try, but I still feel a bit drained inside," Bakumon admitted. "Evolution takes an awful lot more energy to go to Champion, more than I can maintain. It's why I devolved back after the fight."

"Well, then maybe one of the others can evolve instead," Kala said, before turning to Bearmon. "You'd evolve to protect us wouldn't you Bearmon?"

"If my life is in danger I will fight for my life, yes," Bearmon nodded. "Or yours Kala... if I am able to."

"I look forward to evolving!" Penmon declared. "It's been the one thing I've dreamt about for years, when I finally got to unite with my human and begin my fight against the powers of evil!"

"Do we need to cause ourselves trouble by stirring them up?" Ryuudamon sighed.

"They're going to murder us if they find us Ryuudamon," Bakumon pointed out.

"Only because we've accepted the mission of defying them," Ryuudamon sighed. "I can say that honestly, I've not really dreamed of fighting or evolving these last few years. All I wanted to to keep the children safe. I'm not sure I would want to evolve."

"If Jordan's in danger though you might have to," Penmon pointed out. "You know that part of the bond means we have to protect them as best we can, just as they will protect us to the best of their ability by helping us grow stronger. Clockmon chose the humans whose unique energies would best resonate with us, that's why we're Partners. You and Jordan were made for each other."

 _Only that's not exactly true,_ Jordan thought to himself, then something terrible occurred to him. _Penmon says that Clockmon chose for them the human whose energies would best resonate with them... does that mean that despite my bond with Ryuudamon that our energies aren't compatible? Does that means that even in times of danger I can't make Ryuudamon evolve?_

"Is your friend okay?" Bearmon asked Kala, indicating Jordan. "He seems a bit pale."

"Jordan?"

"What?" Jordan looked round at her and tried to smile. "No, I'm okay. Just don't relish the thought of being threatened by hostile Digimon again like we were back in Fangmon's lair. Hopefully I'll never be in a situation dire enough to be one that needs Ryuudamon to evolve."

"To hope for that is foolish," Bearmon replied bluntly.

"Bearmon!" Kala hissed.

"What, I'm telling him the truth. We are likely to be in constant danger from now on," Bearmon said, not seeing the expression on Jordan's face getting more and more anxious. "Ryuudamon will need to evolve at some point to rescue him, that's almost a guarantee."

"You're not helping!" Kala hissed at him.

Bearmon made a noise then walked ahead, Kala having to speed up to stay with him as he went off in a huff. Jordan trembled, then felt something nudge against his leg. He looked down to see Bakumon staring up at him, with Cerys close behind.

"You're still hung up on your not being the brother who was Called aren't you?" he asked.

"I... I just... what if I can't make him evolve?" Jordan asked.

"Jordan, look," Cerys said, and she leant forward to grab his wrist with the Device on it, holding it up to him. "You wouldn't have this if you didn't have some connection with him. Twins are very similar you know, and given that you and Lewis were identical..."

"I'm not my brother."

"No, you're not because if you were you'd not be here," Cerys said. "Ryuudamon's still unsure about having left behind his past life, he still doesn't know if he wants to be here. Make sure he feels like he's on the right track and you'll find that you too feel like you are."

Jordan thought about it. "What does it feel like, when a Digimon evolves?"

"I had a surge of energy," Bakumon said, his eyes lighting up. "I felt it come from somewhere deep inside, my body felt as if it wouldn't contain it all so I had to form myself a body that could handle it. And I heard a beating sound that seemed to resonate inside me and outside at the same time."

"I heard that too, it matched my heartbeat to the pulse of your core of being inside of you," Cerys said to her Partner. "I could feel your elation, your desire to make it there in time... it was like for a second we were of one mind in total balance. It was at that point that I knew I could make Bakumon go a step further and evolve to Unimon."

"So, if I feel Ryuudamon's feelings then I can make him evolve?" Jordan asked.

"Sounds like it," Bakumon said.

"... I felt him. Back at Fangmon's lair," Jordan said. "When he was running towards us I felt his heart... a determination to tackle the threat head on and protect his children."

"There we go, so you can do it," Cerys smiled. "I know that you'll be perfectly fine."

 

The Pyocomon village was just on the edge of the forest, one side looking out onto what must be the terrain Gururumon had been headed them for. Although they'd been correct in assuming that the Pyocomon's buildings would be much too small for them, there was another cliffside very close by that held a large cave opening and it was there that the Pyocomon insisted they set up to sleep.

"I'm sorry we can't offer you much more hospitable shelter, but it's the best we can do for you."

"It's fine, it's much better than sleeping under a cliff with little shelter," Kala assured them.

"Hard sleeping though," Connell muttered, before turning to Penmon. "You wouldn't happen to know anything soft we could scavenge for bedding down do you?"

"Leave it to us!" Penmon declared, before slapping a wing on his chest. "We Digimon know how to scavenge."

"I'll come with you if you want?" Bakumon offered.

"It might be better if you stayed behind, you're the only one who can evolve right now," Bearmon pointed out.

"But I'm tiiired!"

"I... would rather not go," Ryuudamon said. "I'm still not comfortable being this far away from home."

Bearmon snorted, before walking out of the cave. "Bet I can find more bedding plant then you flipper-feet."

"In your dreams!" Penmon cried, run-waddling after him.

"Well, I think we might be sorted between them," Connell nodded.

"If they don't get into another fight on the way back..." Bakumon groaned.

"For now let's just get some rest," Cerys said, as she set her bag down. "We've been traveling a long way and I could use a sit down."

"For once I completely agree with you," Connell yawned, removing a shoe to rub his aching foot.

 

It'd only been later when they'd realised that too much time had passed that they began to get suspicious. There'd been no sign of Gururumon or the two Partners who had left to fetch the bedding plant.  But when they'd tried to leave attacks had streaked from the nearby trees from hidden foes.

" _ **Magical Fire!**_ "

They'd been forced back into the cave, as winged creatures jumped from trees and bushes to advance on them. Too many for Bakumon, who leapt forward to fight to handle at once. He'd fought back as well he could, trying to allow Ryuudamon to lead the four Chosen back deeper into the cave, but he took too many attacks at once and collapsed, with Cerys having to run back and scoop him up best she could. She'd followed the others as fast as she was able to with Bakumon a dead weight in her arms and more attacks whizzing over their heads. The attacking Digimon seemed to be driving them deeper in as part of their plan, but with two Partners missing and the only one who had evolved before now unconscious, what could they really do? At least the narrow passage stopped their pursuers from flying after them, so they were slowed slightly by needing to run along the ground.

The fissure in the rock suddenly widened, and they emerged out into a hollow, a small circular valley in the midst of the mountain that had held the cave. They kept running, straight out into the grass that carpeted the floor, but when Jordan turned to check on the attackers he noticed something. They were all staying inside of the cavern. He grabbed a hold of his Partner, stopping the Rookie short.

"Guys, stop!" he shouted.

But too late, a large shadow fell across the valley and his fellow Chosen looked upwards to see a large shape descending towards them and a terrible scream split the air.

" ** _Black Saber!_** "

The attack smashed the ground in front of them, causing the three of them to fall back, before scrambling back towards Jordan. As the shadow swooped over and out of sight again, two shapes fell from the air, bouncing off the grass below. It was both Penmon and Bearmon, looking defeated and bruised.

"S-sorry," Penmon muttered.

"He was... too strong," Bearmon groaned.

Before Kala and Connell could run forward to grab them, the shadow returned and then the large shape slowed and came into a landing. They could see now that it was a giant black bird, that seemed to be coated in flames, its mouth a stretched forward beak snout with rows of sharp teeth. It landed and laughed loudly.

"Now, we end this Chosen!"

 

So now he was the only one who could do something, the only one with a Partner still standing and able to evolve. Only he couldn't do it, could he? He just stood here, willing his Device to flicker to life. Please please _please_ work! The large black bird was drawing closer, screeching something that might just be laughter and Ryuudamon was the only one left. His eyes were terrified, pleading with Jordan to do something now now _now_!

But he couldn't feel that terror inside, although he felt plenty of his own panic. When he needed to most he could not feel Ryuudamon's heart at all.

Ryuudamon had returned his attention to the other Digimon now, and he crouched, trying to focus himself and be ready to fight this battle that he was almost certain that he was going to lose. Jordan felt so useless...

" _ **Iai Blade!**_ " Ryuudamon decided that striking first would be the best plan of action.

" _ **Black Saber!**_ "

The larger Digimon's attack burned away the metal blade that Ryuudamon shot, headed straight for the Rookie. Ryuudamon leapt to one side, the shockwave of impact still knocking him flying. He landed roughly on the ground and rolled over and over before coming to a stop in a heap. Jordan sprinted over and tried to help him up.

"I'm sorry Ryuudamon, I'm trying to help," he said.

"I.. I don't blame you," Ryuudamon groaned. "I'll do my best to win, even if I can't evolve."

They both looked up as the bird approached, and Jordan shivered. Even now he felt nothing from Ryuudamon and he wondered if this could be the end of the both of them.

He guessed that heroes only existed in stories...

" _ **Chaos Fire!**_ "

A sudden shout from the top of the valley wall, and the bird turned in surprise, backwinging just in time to avoid another powerful attack that smashed into the ground where it'd been. Jordan and Ryuudamon crouched and sheltered their heads from the dust thrown up, and another shape jumped down from the valley walls. He heard the Digimon blocked the cavern begin to mutter nervously and realised that Gururumon had finally caught up.

"Gururumon!" Connell shouted.

"Get back you two!" Gururumon said over his shoulder to Jordan and Ryuudamon. "I'll handle this one!"

"Thank you," Jordan got out gratefully, pulling Ryuudamon back towards the others.

As they began to run, the black bird tried to fly over Gururumon to get to them but the wolf leapt up, locking jaws around its neck and bringing it down to the ground where the two of them began to battle. As they ran, Ryuudamon and Jordan saw some of the Digimon from the cavern begin to take flight as well, headed for the other Chosen who had by this point managed to retrieve both of the other two injured Partner Digimon too.

"Stop them!" Jordan shouted to Ryuudamon, who nodded and sped up, head down and arms by his sides.

" _ **Magical Fire!**_ "

" _ **Iai Blade!**_ "

The two attacks clashed in mid-air before they could hit the other Chosen and their Partners. Bearmon and Penmon tried to respond in kind, but Bearmon's legs collapsed under him and Penmon could barely take a step forward. Their Chosen partners pulled them back as one of the other enemy Digimon flew at them, lashing out with clawed feet. Ryuudamon jumped at them, snarling and smacked them away with his tail. Unfortunately this made all of the attacking Digimon pile on top of him, pecking him as they attacked.

"Ryuudamon!" Jordan shouted as he came to a halt by the pile.

"Get them off!" Ryuudamon sounded panicked as the flock of bird Digimon pecked at him.

All four of the humans ran forward at that point, trying to pull off the attackers so Ryuudamon could get up but each found themselves avoiding beak strikes themselves for their troubles. Still, they kept trying, with Jordan even using a branch to smack one off.

"You leave my Partner alone!"

It was at this point Pyocomon entered the valley.

Pyocomon had walked alone back to the village after talking with Biyomon. He'd spent a lot of that time daydreaming of when they too would have fluffy feathers and be able to fly in the air. Evolution was his dearest dream, but it did tend to lengthen his route home because he often didn't watch quite where he was going. Not as if the other Pyocomon minded though. The village's life was a simple one, mostly untroubled by anything going on in the wider Digital World. Except of course, for his and his involvement with the local patrols' lead figure.

It was very late when he got back, and he remembered that by now the trap would have been sprung upon the Chosen and their Partners. If he was quick maybe he could catch Biyomon before everyone left, get some idea when he could expect his reward for his part in leading them into the trap.

He didn't expect the fight to still be going on when he got there. He didn't expect that an attack would go astray either...

" _ **Black Saber!**_ "

One minute there was an In-Training sprouting onion entering the valley. The next a cloud of pixels and a Digitama forming in the midst of a scorch mark.

"Oh shit." That was Connell, the Chosen and that group having witnessed what just happened.

"P-Pyocomon?" Kala was aghast.

"Oh, whoops," the black bird was in the air again. "Well, I guess if these pipsqueaks get in the way they deserve a reformat. Pathetic weaklings..."

" **What?** "

The voice that came from under the bird pile was quiet, firm, almost disbelieving. Much too quiet to reach the Champions but the four Chosen heard it, as did the bird pile and the other three Partners. As the battle resumed suddenly Ryuudamon reared up with a roar of anger, throwing the enemy Rookies to the ground around him. His vision though was only for the big black bird.

"How dare you?" he snarled, although he seemed to be talking to himself now. "You think you can murder the small and they deserve it because they're weaker?"

"Ryuudamon?" Jordan stepped forward to try to lay a hand on his Partner.

"I'll show you!" Ryuudamon growled, his pupils narrowing, teeth bared. "I'll make you **PAY**!"

Suddenly Jordan was thrown back as a wave of energy surrounded Ryuudamon. He began to glow brightly and threw back his head, shouting loudly as data began to tear off his form and reveal the wireframe underneath.

"He's evolving!" Kala shouted. "Jordan, you're making him evolve!"

"Wait, something's different," Bearmon had managed to stand long enough to limp over. "Something's _wrong_..."

Indeed, Ryuudamon's evolution seemed much more violent than Bakumon's had been. For one thing there was the yelling, almost as if the Rookie was in pain as his body changed. Then there was the fact that the data was not simply flaking away into the vortex that had surrounded his fellow Partner, but tearing away as if his very flesh was being ripped off. A new tail was forming already despite Ryuudamon's legs not having been stripped yet, his arms lengthening as they were torn off. And the glow that surrounded him seemed to be fluctuating wildly. But it was Cerys that noticed the main difference.

"Jordan, your Device!"

Jordan looked at his wrist, and saw what she had. His Device was completely silent and untouched.

"Then how is he evolving?"

Suddenly the vortex collapsed, and with a final shockwave a new Digimon stood where Ryuudamon once had. A four-legged reptilian beast, it was mostly encased in plated black armour that only showed his face, his four legs and the very tip of his tail. His skin was yellow with an off-white jaw. Each foot had two front toes and a back toe, all clawed. Purple armour plates down the front his his long neck, red plates protected the top of his legs and his tail was tipped with a tuft.

It turned its head as the Rookies who had formed the bird pile began to get to their feet, preparing themselves to attack again. As they leapt he opened his mouth.

_SHNNK!_

A flash of silver and a large blade stuck from the ground, a line of Digitamas marking where the defeated enemies had dropped. The large dragon Digimon turned its stoic face away and looked towards the other two Champions, both still fighting. He began to make his way over, his footsteps floaty as if he were slightly defying gravity.

Jordan tried to mentally reach out to this Digimon, after all, this was Ryuudamon's Champion form. This was his Partner. He needed to be with his Partner.

What he got back from the Digimon sent him reeling for a second, and he fell back against the other humans who caught him and helped him stand until he could recover his balance. Meanwhile, the other two Champions had noticed the approach and stopped.

"Another one evolves," the black bird cried, then screeched loudly. "I know when the odds are against me! I'll be back!"

With that he flapped harder, gaining height and sailing away over the valley walls. Gururumon turned and saw the other Digimon approaching. He opened his mouth to congratulate them, then froze, eyes wide.

"Sovereigns above!"

Another blade shot towards him from the new Digimon, and Gururumon dodged. Kala gave a cry of shock.

"What's he doing? Jordan, why is he attacking Gururumon?"

"... Something is wrong," Jordan muttered. "I tried to reach out to him but all I got back... Guys, I think we're in trouble."

A loud snarling made them look up. The new Digimon had spotted them and now they could see that his eyes were completely blank of any sort of sentience. All that was in them was a sheer mindless ferocity. Bearmon gulped.

"I think Ryuudamon's gone feral..."


	19. Dragon's Rage

_Kyokyomon had decided. He might only be newly hatched, but he was destined for something big Clockmon said. Therefore he needed to ask the temporal Digimon the really important questions. He needed to understand just what his future would mean for him._  
  
_He made his way down the passage to Clockmon's rooms, away from the place where he and the other three had hatched and grown, nurtured by the Digimon who told them that they were to be great saviors of the Digital World. Of course, the caretakers came and went, but Clockmon was a constant fixture. He was their guardian after all, even if he had a lot of important duties that meant a good deal of their raising must instead be taken care of by others. None of them had ever left their room before and gone down the corridor to Clockmon's rooms, although they'd been aware of the existence of the rooms beyond theirs since what seemed like forever ago. The idea just hadn't ever entered their minds until very recently and they agreed that of any of them, only Kyokyomon would ever actually make it to Clockmon's rooms._  
  
_He was the only one of them who had attained their second form after all._  
  
_Still, outside of the doorway Kyokyomon hesitated. Sure, they'd discussed what it'd be like to go to the fabled rooms down the corridor, but now he was actually here he wasn't sure how to proceed beyond this point. True, Kyokyomon had made it here but was he brave enough to continue inside? What if being as busy as he was, Clockmon didn't take kindly to one of the four young Partners interrupting him? He might appear kind and loving when he came down to their room to see them and teach them, but then he wasn't 'busy'._  
  
_Kyokyomon bit his lower lip, feeling the tips of his very new and sharp little fangs as they dug into the lower coloured skin of his lower jaw. He turned his small yellow head to stare up at the door, taking in just how tall it was in comparison to him. But then Clockmon was much bigger than them, just as Kyokyomon was bigger then his three fellows. You tended to get bigger as you grew and evolved. Kyokyomon had only begun to think about his own after he'd grown from Fufumon two days ago, having never really had it ever occur to him before. Clockmon had seemed satisfied that he had changed though._  
  
_"Yes, yes... all according to the path I've seen."_  
  
_Did he know what they were all due to become?_  
  
_"Kyokyomon?"_  
  
_Kyokyomon jumped, startled out of his memories by the sound of Clockmon's voice from inside the room. How did his Guardian know he was outside? He had tried to be quiet and with his movement consisting of floating he couldn't have made any walking noise. The door slowly came open and Kyokyomon saw the face of Clockmon peering out._  
  
_"Is something the matter?" he asked, his voice full of genuine concern._

_"N-no..." Kyokyomon muttered, chewing his lip again with his new fangs. "I was just... I wanted to know..."_

_"If I know how you'll evolve?"_

_Kyokyomon looked back up at his guardian, surprised that he had so accurately guessed what was on his young mind. Clockmon took a step to one side, and beckoned the little yellow Digimon into his room. Kyokyomon quickly moved inside, looking around at what he had entered. The room was not all that big, although to Kyokyomon it seemed huge. It looked like some combination of an office and a bedroom, with shelves of books and papers lining most walls, a desk with more books and various writing implements standing out in one corner with a chair next to it large enough for Clockmon to sit in but dwarfing the little Kyokyomon as he stared up at it. Through a small doorway he could see a single bed, made up but not all that neatly._

_Clockmon cleared his throat. "You understand the abilities I possess right?"_

_Kyokyomon nodded. "You're a time keeper. You can control time."_

_"Not only that, I can read it as easily as if it was a book," Clockmon scooped a tome off a nearby shelf. "I see what should be and then I act to bring the new Partners to where they should be. It is the duty I was entrusted with by the Sovereigns themselves."_

_He opened the book, turning the pages until he found what he was looking for. He set it down on the desk and indicated that Kyokyomon should come look. The little In-Training jumped up to the seat of the chair, aided by his natural floating abilities and then scrambled upwards to look over the edge of the desk. On the two page in front of him were drawings with strange writing around them. The first looked an awful lot like he did now, it was a drawing of a Kyokyomon._

_"That's me?" he asked Clockmon, looking up at his guardian._

_Clockmon nodded. "And this is your next stage, Ryuudamon."_

_He pointed to the other drawing, one of a yellow saurian with black plates of armour covering parts of its body. The drawing seemed to be in the midst of shooting off an attack, silvery blade projectiles shooting off the side of the page. Kyokyomon's eye lit up._

_"I'll turn into that?" he asked in awe._

_"Yes young Kyokyomon," Clockmon said. "You are of a very special Digimon species, you have inside your Digicore the data for both a warrior and a dragon. These are both very powerful and very special lines to be a part of."_

_"Wow..." Kyokyomon muttered, returning his eyes to the page. "What about the ones after that?"_

_Clockmon turned the page again and this time the drawing was spread across both pages, a four-legged yellow-white dragon with stronger armour. Kyokyomon smiled wider. He was going to be so cool when he had his human partner!_

_"But... I must advise you be careful Kyokyomon."_

_Kyokyomon looked back round at Clockmon, whose expression had suddenly turned very serious. Kyokyomon wasn't sure if he liked it._

_"While it is true that your line makes you very powerful, it also means that you must learn self-control," he sighed. "If not properly harnessed there is a chance that you could lose your grip and let your innate power overwhelm you entirely, leaving you no longer able to tell friend from foe."_

_"I'm... dangerous?" Kyokyomon asked, his stomach sinking._

_"No, not if you keep a level head," Clockmon said, before patting Kyokyomon on the head. "I don't want to worry you, but I would have to have told you this eventually anyway. I only do it so you are aware of what can happen if you are not careful. Now you know, you will always be careful, won't you?"_

_Kyokyomon nodded. "I'll always be careful! I'll be the most careful and safest Partner Digimon ever! You'll see!"_

 

"What do we do now?" Connell asked, the group frozen in place as the feral Champion stared them down.

"J-Jordan?" Kala squeaked in a small voice.

"I... I couldn't feel him," Jordan muttered, in shock. "All that was there when I reached... it was a mass of whirling instinct, fury, rage... I couldn't feel Ryuudamon in there."

The feral Champion had turned around to face them properly now, and it began to snarl. Bearmon slowly raised a paw, keeping his eyes on the dragon at all times.

"Move... slowly..." he muttered. "If we do... he might... not see us as a threat?"

Connell had crouched to grab Penmon under his wings, and now followed the group as they slowly backed away from Ryuudamon's evolved self; dragging Penmon across the ground slightly. Penmon fortunately had the good sense not to complain about this, or maybe he was just too tired. Bearmon's progress was slightly limping, and he caught his foot on a stone, causing him to flinch and bark out in pain. This unfortunately broke whatever little calm had held the situation. The Champion leapt for them.

"Run!"

The group scattered in all directions as another silver blade whizzed past them and embedded itself in the ground. The dragon landed softly and was off after the nearest target, unfortunately Cerys who was still carrying an unconscious Bakumon. She dropped to the ground as the Champion lunged over her, slamming her own Partner to the ground. The jolt woke Bakumon up, who cringed in her arms at the pain wracking his body.

"Cerys...?"

"Bakumon, we're in trouble!"

The dragon was turning again for them and Cerys got to her feet to run, but then Gururumon ploughed in from the side, taking the dragon by surprise. As they rolled across the floor, Cerys darted for the exit where the others had already begun to head. Jordan hovered by the rocky doorway though staring at the fierce battle raging in the clearing.

"What... what did I do?" he muttered.

"Jordan, move!" Connell's impatient voice shouted. "You can't do anything, he's out of control!"

"B-but... I'm his..."

"Jordan, we need to get to safety!" Kala cried. "I know you want to help, but Ryuudamon evolved on his own. It's out of your hands right now... we don't really know what we're dealing with here. You might die if you try to go back out there."

_If Lewis hadn't died, we wouldn't be in this mess to start with. He'd be the one here._

"Jordan?"

_Lewis would have gotten Ryuudamon to evolve... or he'd have known what to do here._

"Jordan, please come with us!"

_What can I do? I wasn't even meant to be here in the first place. I can't stop him._

_"... Clockmon chose the humans whose unique energies would best resonate with us, that's why we're Partners. You and Jordan were made for each other..."_

Suddenly fear thundered through Jordan's heart, more than he'd felt before and it rocked him. He wasn't meant to be here, he didn't want to be here... we don't want to fight. We don't want to lose control.

_'I... I don't want to fight. D-don't make me fight!'_

That voice? Jordan focused back on the battle, on the form of his evolved Partner and once again reached inside, daring to do more than just briefly touch the roiling mind inside.

_'I was so angry, I didn't want to lose control, I can't stop myself. Please stop, please stop!'_

"He's crying."

"What?"

Jordan clenched his fists. "Ryuudamon is in there. And he's scared."

"R-Ryuuda-?" Bakumon muttered, in confusion.

Suddenly Jordan broke from the cliffside, towards the battle. Connell was startled for a second, before he half made to pelt after him before thinking better of it.

"Idiot, what is he doing??"

"Gururumon!" Jordan cried, as he ran. "Hold him down!"

Gururumon looked the human's way, avoiding a tail swipe. "Are you mad? Get back to the cave, I can handle this!"

"I have an idea!" Jordan said. "Trust me, I think I know what to do!"

Gururumon looked as if he'd ignored Jordan, but then lunged for the neck of the dragon, locking his jaws onto the back of the armour and using his full body weight to knock him down to the ground. Ryuudamon's evolved self snapped and snarled as Jordan came to a halt before the two Champions, carefully unstrapping the Device from his wrist. He took it in one hand and slowly approached.

"It's okay, I'm here," he said, as calmly as he could. "You're angry. You're scared, and lashing out. I'm here though. I can help you... Ryuudamon."

He held the Device before him, pointing towards the evolved form of his Partner who continued to snarl and growl. Jordan closed his eyes and trusted that Gururumon's hold would keep him safe. He felt the Device between his fingers begin to vibrate slightly.

_I'm here Ryuudamon. Come back to me. You can do it._

As they watched the snarling dragon began to calm, his attention focused on the Device's window. He blinked and suddenly he began to shrink down, glowing. Gururumon let go of his neck hold and stepped back as the mass of light exploded outwards and Ryuudamon was left sitting on the ground, looking very much worse for wear and gently crying.

"I'm _so sorry_... I... I never meant... to..."

Jordan just walked over and threw his arms around the Partner Digimon, squeezing him tightly.

"It's okay Ryuudamon. I know you didn't want to evolve."


	20. Confessions

_The boy sat in the corner, facing the wall and pouting. It wasn't fair. He had listened to his brother and yet he was still in trouble, his mother had still made him sit in time out. He'd trusted the advice his brother had given him and he felt betrayed. When he could he was going to hit Lewis, that was for sure._

_"Jordan?"_

_Jordan jumped, he hadn't heard anyone approaching. He dared to sneak a look behind him, and found his twin standing there nearby, crouching lower and with his voice lowered so as not to be spotted. Jordan pulled a tongue at his brother and looked back at the wall._

_"Not talking to you."_

_"Jordan..."_

_"You told me they wouldn't be so mad if I just told them that I broke the tap, but they were still mad at me!" Jordan hissed, also keeping his voice low. "Now go away. Don't want to talk to you, you're always getting me in trouble you goody two-shoes..."_

_"What if you hadn't told them?" Lewis asked._

_"Then they'd have not known I broke it and I wouldn't be in trouble."_

_"Yes, they wouldn't have known but that means they'd have tried to use it," Lewis pointed out. "If the kitchen had been flooded because you broke the tap, wouldn't you have been in even more trouble?"_

_Jordan paused. He'd never thought of it like that. "I guess you're right..."_

_"Telling the truth meant that you still got into trouble for breaking it, but now they can get it fixed before they use it," Lewis said, sitting beside his brother. "And if they know you tell the truth, they might think you are even when you're lying about other things."_

_"You told me not to lie though."_

_"As if you won't ever lie," Lewis grinned. "I know you too well, you wouldn't pull off half the tricks you do if you told the truth more."_

_Jordan looked back at his twin. "Speaking of trouble, won't you be if Mum catches you talking to me?"_

_"I don't care," Lewis said. "I just didn't want you to think I had tricked you or something."_

_"You're the best brother ever."_

 

The aftermath of the battle had passed by in a blur for them. Heading back to the Pyocomon village, they'd discovered that the one Pyocomon who had spoken for them had told the entire village that they were about to be safe for good not too long ago before he had entered the cave they'd emerged from.  
  
_"You'll see what I mean soon. I've guaranteed our lives for good!"_  
  
Further confused chatter and a little questioning helped them piece together the truth of the matter - Pyocomon had been trying to sell out the Chosen to protect the village. While they'd been wary of the village in that moment the Pyocomon assured them furiously that they had no idea what had been happening, that they had not played any part in the scheme to entrap and destroy them in the rocky clearing where the battle had taken place. They had even offered medical plants to help heal up the four Partner Digimon and Gururumon. Gururumon, being a savvy Rebellion member had refused until he had personally scent-tested all the offered plants. Finding nothing wrong with them, they accepted the apologetic Pyocomon's help.  
  
Time had passed now and many of the group were curled up asleep in the mouth of the cave or quietly drowsing in the calm and cool night air. A fire was going, set on a flat stone well away from the green growth of the nearby trees and grasses. Sat by the fire Jordan stared into the flames, deep in thought. Things could have easily ended in disaster today with the ambush, and then...  
  
_"...How dare you? You think you can murder the small and they deserve it because they're weaker...?"_  
  
Ryuudamon had... exploded.  
  
_"...I'll make you **pay**...!"_  
  
It had been a stressful situation sure, with Ryuudamon the only one still able to fight and so many enemies piling on top of him. But such rage... that didn't equate with the timid Rookie he had only met a few days earlier. It didn't fit.  
  
Was it because Ryuudamon's true partner wasn't the one here with him, even if he wasn't aware of that fact? Could being linked to someone so alike yet different be to blame for the dragon's violent evolution and then feral fury? Had it made him evolve wrong somehow?  
  
_"...Clockmon chose the humans whose unique energies would best resonate with us..."_  
  
But... if it was Lewis' energy that Ryuudamon needed to evolve correctly, how was he still able to get the emotional feedback from the reluctant Partner Digimon that both Cerys and Bakumon had been so sure that you needed for evolution? How had he still been able to focus in and hear Ryuudamon's distressed cries for help as his anger caused him to lash out at all things nearby?  
  
Was there maybe another 'right' way that only he could access with Ryuudamon?  
  
A sudden noise from the cave made him look around in surprise, instantly alert for trouble. It'd only been four days and already he was getting jumpy and wary. Guess that came from being as good as a fugitive in a world that from what they'd been told they were already far too late to save.  
  
"Oh... I... I hoped you wouldn't see me Jordan."  
  
"Ryuudamon, you should be asleep," Jordan said, scrambling to his feet as his Partner began to nervously fidget with his claws again. "You took a lot of attacks in the earlier ambush..."  
  
"... I need to go..."  
  
Jordan blinked, unsure of what he'd just heard. Ryuudamon had dropped his head and for a second he couldn't quite believe what he'd heard from the Digimon. He shook his head.  
  
"That's... Ryuudamon, you wouldn't make it out there alone," he tried, unsure about whether he should approach the young dragon. "The enemy, they must know by now that you're a Partner. You're supposed to already be dead if the stories we heard already are true, and if you're captured..."  
  
"It might be better that way..."  
  
"What are you saying?" Jordan cried, trying to make sure he didn't wake the others up. "Ryuudamon, I know you didn't want to embrace this role. Hell, I'll agree that thrusting it upon newly born children is a bit shady... but we're here now. You can't just give up at the first hurdle."  
  
"... But I almost killed you all."  
  
A glint from the firelight fell and Jordan realised that one of the reasons Ryuudamon wasn't looking him in the eye is because he was crying again. He looked up, his big green eyes swimming.  
  
"I lost myself and I almost killed you. I almost killed my own human partner! If I can't control my power, I'm only going to be a liability. I can't evolve without losing myself so what use am I in the quest to save this world?"  
  
Now Jordan did approach, taking hold of one of Ryuudamon's claws and dragging him over to the fire. He pushed the Rookie down and then sat beside him, letting Ryuudamon get out the fear he'd been holding in. Truth be told after he'd devolved and apologised he had been rather quiet all day, not even joining in the discussion about whether they could risk trusting the rest of the Pyocomon after the village had unwittingly been the site of a trap for them. They'd all left him alone, involved as they were with their own thoughts about what had just happened. Cerys had helped the Pyocomon prepare the herbal remedies in between forcing Bakumon to go lie back down as the Rookie attempted to do his usual trick of not letting her out of his sight. Gururumon had hovered around the edges of the scene, still obviously suspicious of the Pyocomon and every now and then shooting glares at where Bearmon was lying, fortunately by that point content to lie down and focus on little but resting. Connell had been angry of course, checking the perimeter with Penmon in tow, who while not recovered had responded faster to the herbs than the others as he had suffered only a blow to his head as opposed to the more visible injuries of the other Partners. Every now and then they heard Connell's voice muttering from the distance, cursing the Digital World and its dangers and the fact that he had to deal with this and was too old for this childish crap.

Jordan at least should have realised that Ryuudamon would take his out of control evolution quite hard. But then maybe there was a perfectly logical reason for what happened?  
  
"Ryuudamon, was that your first time evolving to that level?"  
  
Ryuudamon stopped sniffling and looked at Jordan, who returned the look curiously. Ryuudamon nodded.  
  
"I... we were all told what our next stages would be by Clockmon, up to the Champion forms," he said, before looking to the fire and the dancing flames. "My Champion form is Ginryuumon. That's what I became... but I'm formed of some very powerful data types. I was warned against losing control and I still did it..."  
  
"It was your first time taking that step forward," Jordan said. "And it was an accident wasn't it? You didn't want to evolve."  
  
"But I did," Ryuudamon sighed. "When I saw Pyocomon get hit... Such disregard for life, for those who were weaker... I just couldn't stand it."  
  
"You care a lot about those who are smaller than you, don't you?"  
  
"The babies, the children... the war meant that so many families were torn apart," Ryuudamon muttered. "And with the rise of evil and bullies, the weak made good targets for those who just wanted to get stronger. The weak suffered and even if I couldn't be a Partner again I just had to do something... it wasn't right that children were being made soldiers, or targets, or even getting killed in the crossfire because no one bothered to check first."  
  
"Then it's understandable that you got angry..."  
  
"But it's not acceptable!" Ryuudamon snarled. "So many have fallen to those who weren't careful, so many have died and we're the only ones who can do anything about it. But if I can't evolve I still can't help anyone."  
  
_Still...?_  
  
"I'm supposed to save this world? I hate being so responsible for it and yet I couldn't avoid this fate. It's not fair... and then I almost killed you, my human partner who has finally arrived for me. I almost ruined it entirely, doomed everyone in my out of control rage..."  
  
_Ah... we still need to address that.  
_

"Ryuudamon... about that..."

Ryuudamon stopped mid-rant and looked around at Jordan. The man bit on his lip nervously, trying to think about how he should start to tell Ryuudamon the truth. He knew that he maybe should have corrected his Partner's assumptions right from the start, that night after the battle at Fangmon's lair when Ryuudamon had watched his young charges playing with Dorimon and they had introduced themselves properly. The longer the lie went on, the more the truth would hurt. That's what he'd come to understand as he grew up, building upon that lesson he'd first been taught by his twin brother; his much smarter, much wiser twin brother.

How he wished Lewis was here now to support him in this, but then if he had been Jordan wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

"As far as your 'human'... what did Clockmon tell you?"

Ryuudamon blinked. "The same as the others. We were shown your faces and told your names so that we would know you by sight and be able to convince you that we were meant to be. Clockmon said that sometimes seeing us was a shock to humans and that knowing their names was often a good way to start the trust process..."

"He told you our names?" Jordan asked. _If Clockmon told them then why...?_

"It was a long time ago, I put it out of my mind," Ryuudamon said, waving it off with a dismissive claw. "I doubt that any of us remembered both the appearance and the name of our human after all this time. I remembered only vaguely what you looked like, and even that's changed slightly. You're kind of... longer now. You used to be a bit rounder in shape... I think Clockmon told us you were 'young' or something?"

"What he looked like..." Jordan mumbled under his breath.

"I'm sorry?"

"You were shown what _he_ looked like, what my brother looked like," Jordan said, spilling out the words from his mouth, and unable to meet his Digimon's eyes. "It was my brother who was your assigned partner Ryuudamon; not me."

There was a moment of silence, Ryuudamon looked confused.

"Your... brother?"

"Lewis was my twin. He was the one in the room when Clockmon originally tried to make the Call," Jordan sighed. "But... he died. He died in a silly avoidable accident and the others... you needed a partner." Jordan felt like he was trying to justify it now, but he hated doing this. "I didn't want to go, I was so confused about what was going on and they hadn't time to explain before we got pulled into this world. And I wondered why they had bothered because I couldn't replace Lewis but then... we connected. I could feel your determination to protect the little ones and we formed a bond and... I'm sorry Ryuudamon."

There was another long silence. Jordan waited for Ryuudamon's reaction, for him to shout, scream, run... maybe even possibly just accept it. Instead the saurian stood up.

"I think... I need to sleep," he said, before turning and walking back to the cave.

"Okay... g-goodnight Ryuudamon..."

Jordan returned to his watch, poking the fire and stoking it when it got too low until Kala came to relieve him two hours later. He walked back into the cave and curled up a little way from Ryuudamon, falling into a fitful sleep with his Partner still in his line of sight.

 

When he woke up the next morning, Ryuudamon was gone.


	21. Division

_How long had it been now since he'd last been safe?_

_After the Call had failed they had watched Clockmon scurry around, sat together and subconsciously huddling with each other. They were young and although they could grasp that what had happened was a very bad thing, they lacked the experience yet to comprehend just how bad this situation was. The atmosphere around them was incredibly uneasy though and they all picked up on it from the moment the Call had been missed. Then Clockmon had disappeared, although Wanyamon had sworn that he'd seen their guardian leave and that he was coming back soon._

_Kyokyomon didn't believe Wanyamon had seen Clockmon leave, because Clockmon had never come home._

_When the first attacks came they had hidden in their hatching room, trying desperately to shut out the cries of Digimon and the explosions. At that time Kyokyomon had always acted as their protector, daring to the be first one to the door to check outside. He was prepared to go down fighting if he had to, for the sake of the other three. He was a dragon, he was a warrior. He was strong._

_When the raid came though, it was Chicchimon who saw them coming first. Kyokyomon had led the flight from the base, the place they had known for all their lives. Outside was a strange world, a dark and broken story of torments that they could not understand. They had no time to, and they kept on running for as long as they could._

_That had been three days ago. Now Kyokyomon sat alone on a burnt tree stump, nursing his wounds. They had been spotted and attacked along a mountain trail. The blast had impacted in the middle of the group and the last thing he remembered was PetitMeramon screaming his name as he flew out of control over the edge of the cliff. He had regained consciousness in the bushes that lined the base of the mountain, very hurt and dazed. Of the others, he had no idea._

_Kyokyomon was alone and very, very lost._

_"... Hello?"_

_A curious voice called out, and Kyokyomon realised that someone was coming his way. He shrunk down against the blackened wood, knowing that he was unable to move very far before they would reach him. Maybe if he just stayed still he could..._

_A purple head emerged from the bushes, attached to a set of shoulders. The head was triangular in shape and swept back into a point at the rear, a short snout at the front with sharp teeth and a pair of softly orange eyes blinked down at him. Kyokyomon closed his eyes and waited for what must be the final attack he would face. He tried his best not to cower, but it was very hard... he was so scared._

_"Hey, what're you doing here in such a state?" the other Digimon asked, his voice surprised. "Oh you poor thing, you must have gotten caught up in that firefight last night!"_

_Kyokyomon felt two gentle clawed hands under him and suddenly he was scooped up towards the other Digimon, who cradled him close to his body._

_"Don't worry, I'll help you," he said. "We'll get you patched up and then we can find any family you have, okay?"_

_Kyokyomon felt a gentle pressure applied to his body and he allowed himself to untense slightly, although he would not allow himself to cry no matter how much he wanted to. He did speak two words to his new friend though._

_"... Thank you..."_

 

Jordan's frantic dashing around was enough to wake up Gururumon who had taken the last watch of the night and had since half-dozed off in front of the fire. As he went out to search for a trail, Jordan shook awake the others and alerted them to the missing saurian that was no longer in their midst. A walk down to the village didn't yield an awful lot from the Pyocomon with the exception of one who got up early to collect the communal morning meal from the grain silo and had spotted a strange movement just beyond the village into the forest. He'd thought nothing of it, having been brought up like all the Pyocomon that nosiness would mean the possibility of seeing something he shouldn't. When Gururumon came back and said that he'd picked up a scent trail going the same way the group had conferred.

"We have to go after him," Kala said. "We need him with us."

"If he gets captured..." Bakumon let that hang in the air, his eyes wide.

"We'll save him if that happens!" Penmon declared confidently.  
  
"It'd be much better if we found him before we need to mount a rescue," Bearmon said.  
  
"We might need to split the party, there's no question that we aren't leaving Ryuudamon behind," Cerys said.  
  
"I would advise we get to the Rebellion base I was told to take you to," Gururumon said. "Let our trackers find the missing Partner, we need to get you to safety as soon as we can."  
  
"But how long will that take?" Jordan asked. "Anything could happen and the longer we wait, the more likely it is he'll get injured or captured. I'm going to find him, with or without help."  
  
"But you said that he ran off because you told him that you weren't his real partner?" Connell frowned at the other man. "Do you think he wants you to find him?"  
  
"Ryuudamon went through a lot yesterday," Bakumon said. "I think with the shock of that atop the experience that was his first evolution... Ryuudamon seems to be the sort of 'mon now who wants everything to be simple and maybe he's feeling like everything's sweeping him away and he just wanted out. He's changed a lot since the days we were small..."  
  
"That's what happens over years, we change," Bearmon muttered. "I'll go with Jordan to knock a little sense into his head. We've no time for reluctance now."  
  
"And I'm coming to stop you saying something you shouldn't," Kala said, scowling at Bearmon.  
  
Gururumon growled with irritation. "I cannot allow you to go off on your own like that."  
  
"Then why don't you go with them?" Cerys asked. "The rest of us can stay here, Bakumon can evolve if we're in danger. Unimon might be able to carry us if we need to escape."  
  
"If it will get you to come with me to safety quicker," Gururumon muttered. "I cannot let the evil Digimon extinguish hope now that it has finally arrived."  
  
"Well, we'd better be quick then before he gets too far ahead," Bearmon said.  
  
Gururumon glared at the Rookie, but said nothing, walking past him and into the trees in the direction he had picked up the scent. Kala followed with Bearmon in tow. Jordan looked back at the other two and their Partners for a second.  
  
"Go, we'll be fine," Connell said. "Just hurry on back, I don't want to spend another night in this blasted cave."  
  
"You'll find him, I know it," Cerys smiled. "Whether you were Chosen or not, you're the one with the Device and the bond to Ryuudamon. You're his human partner now."  
  
"I just hope that _is_ enough to make me his partner," Jordan said, before running after the others.

Cerys watched as the others disappeared out of sight before turning back around to Connell, Penmon. Bakumon and a handful of Pyocomon who had shown up to help them with their investigation. There was an awkward silence as Cerys and Connell stared at each other, suddenly very aware of the fact that this left the two of them alone together for the first time since they'd come to the Digital World... in fact the first time they'd been alone together since...

"Look!"

Penmon's cry broke the tense atmosphere and they all followed his pointing wing to see a distant group of incoming Digimon, coming this way. By the looks of it, the one in the middle was the same one who had ambushed them the previous day. The Pyocomon scattered, running back to their houses as Connell clenched a fist by his side.

"Can't we ever get a break?"

"No time for that, go!" Cerys said, beginning to move off from the village in the opposite direction to where the others had gone.

"Where are you going?"

"We need to get away from here and lose them as fast as we can!" Cerys said. "I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to avoid a battle at least until we're away from the Pyocomon village."

"You have a point," Connell admitted grudgingly. "Let's go going then."

 

Ryuudamon was lost again.

So far from home. So far from everyone he remembered. He had been given a chance to escape his fate and yet it'd come in, demolishing the life he'd built up and forcing him back onto a path he'd long since given up on. A path he had distanced himself from because not only was it incredibly dangerous to be marked as a Partner in this world, but it was never, never going to come to pass. Except it had, and he had hated it. But he had accepted it, gone along with it despite his reluctance because there was nothing else for him to go back to now. At least with his human, he had somewhere to belong.

Except Jordan wasn't his Chosen, wasn't the human who should have come across with the Call and from what Jordan had told him, that human would never come for him.

Ryuudamon was lost, but was it even possible to be lost when you had no place to be lost from?

At least the sight of small In-Training Digimon was something he was familiar with. It was something he knew how to deal with. That flock of Pinamon over there looked lost. Maybe... it was possible for him to rebuild a life. A place for him to belong. Maybe he could still save someone's life.

He stepped out towards them. He would help these little ones. He would rebuild his life, and go underground again.

No one, not the evil that controlled the Digital World nor the Chosen would ever find him again. That is what he would do.

 

The four of them had left the village and wandered into a rocky landscape that had bordered the forest, they were now cautiously making their way through splits between sheer rocky cliffs that looked as if they might have been formed in earthquakes. Some of the roof was open to the sky, but most of it was either overgrown with thick vine or had only slight holes. Cerys, Connell and Penmon had a hand trailing across the wall, while Bakumon took up the rear of the marching order, every now and then turning his head to react to noises. All four of them had decided that they should plow on forward for a bit until they felt it safe to go back up... or the larger Digimon sent in their smaller minions to do battle. At that point Penmon and Bakumon would fight back.

"This place goes on for a while..." Connell muttered.

"Well it's the best place if we want to hide from our enemies," Penmon muttered softly. "As much as I would prefer to fight back, I am aware that sometimes retreating to fight another day is wise. We are after all, this world's only chance of ever being safe again!"

"Yes, and given how many we could see, I'm not sure that Bakumon and Penmon could take on all those smaller ones at the same time as the large black bird who got the jump on us yesterday even if Bakumon evolved again," Cerys said.

"But we should be far enough in now that we can stop?" Connell asked. "My boots are getting worn from all this walking everywhere..."

"We might as well," Bakumon said. "I'm not sure what we'd find at the other end of this passage if we kept going." He looked at Penmon hopefully, but the bird shrugged.

"No idea, my cell only really knew about the area that Fangmon controlled."

"Well, let's get ready in case they do come in after us," Bakumon said.

Cerys produced a torch from her bag, and shone it around, pointing to a set of large stalagmites and nodding to Connell. He wandered over and slammed his bag down behind it, before sinking down to sit by the wall.

"This world is murder to my feet..." he muttered.

"Oh come on, you were doing well Connell," Cerys teased. "Don't start your moaning about not wanting to be here again."

"You don't want to be here?" Penmon asked, eying his partner.

"Oh, I'm not crazy about it," Connell admitted. "No worries though. I realise that we're the only ones who can save our world from destruction, even if we have to right the wrongs of this world to do it."

"I'm... not sure if Clockmon ever mentioned that helping the Digital World would have any effect on your human world..." Bakumon said, frowning before looking to Penmon again.

"He didn't," Penmon said, his voice suddenly a little harder than it had been before.

"Wait, so doing this has no effect on the fate of my world??" Connell said, before scrambling to his feet and glaring at Cerys. "You said it did! You liar!"

"I... what?" Cerys asked, confused. "Connell, I never told you anything of the sort! If you chose to believe that, then that was your fault not mine... or maybe Kala said something you misinterpreted..."

"I don't believe this!" Penmon shouted suddenly, flapping his wings angrily. "You don't care about this world at all??"

"I... Penmon, I didn't say..."

"I dedicated my life while waiting to keeping this world safe!" Penmon cried, flapping ever harder. "And now I find out that my human is... so selfish!"

"Penmon, calm down!" Bakumon tried.

"No, I won't!" Penmon shouted. "Why did I wait all this time for you? I was right to try to do it on my own!"

Connell tried to step forward and calm his Partner down, but before he could reach the Digimon Penmon bolted further down the passage, deeper into the cliffs. With a cry of alarm, Connell took off after his Digimon, and out of Cerys' torchlight. Cerys pointed Bakumon to try and scoop up Connell's forgotten bag as she chased after him to try and make sure he could see where he was going and didn't come to any mischief in the darkness. Eventually she caught up to Connell who had reached a fork and was desperately looking between them.

"Penmon!!" he shouted. "Penmon, where are you?"

"Lost him?" Cerys asked.

"Yes," Connell growled, although the angry retort seemed more frustrated than actually annoyed with her. "Can you see any signs to indicate which way he went?"

Cerys shone her torch down at the ground and they saw in a patch of dirt a flippered footprint leading down the left. They both wandered down it together, moving at a fast pace although not a run because both had to catch their breath back after the sprint they'd done. Eventually the torchlight shone on a rough stone wall ahead. Shining it around revealed no more openings at any level. Connell felt at the wall, looking for a secret door or any switches, but nothing turned up.

"Wh-where did he go?"

Both of them stood there in shock of yet another one of the Partner Digimon vanishing on them, just as Bakumon finally caught up behind them and collapsed to the ground under the weight of Connell's bag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Torch" = "Flashlight" for those who speak American English and are unaware.


	22. Changing Perceptions

_Was it wrong to feel like this? It didn't seem like it should and yet..._

_She sat on a bench, holding an ice pack against her bruised face. The evening had been so good. Her older sister had invited her out on the Hen Party, and she knew just how much that invitation had meant to Kala. They'd gone out shopping for new dresses together, trying on shoes and tottering around in tall heels. It had been everything she'd ever dreamed of. But the trouble had come when Kala went to use the bathroom, a little bit tipsy from the fruity cocktails that were being passed around. It had meant that she'd not properly locked the door for the stall and another club attendee had accidentally come in. And seen everything._

_"Hey, you're not a woman!"_

_Kala had tried to explain, said that she was a transfemale and hadn't meant to surprise the other woman. The glares she got back in response made her finish up sharpish and leave the bathroom. It was only an hour later when they tried to leave the club that the two men had jumped Kala as she left with her sister and friends._

_"You sick pervert!"_

_They'd knocked her down, started to kick at her body, her head, her face. Fortunately her sister and some other of the club goers had managed to grab hold of and hang onto the men until the club security could come and take over. The attack had lasted only a few seconds, but even now sat outside in the cool night air with the police lights flashing around her and the two men being led out in handcuffs she could still feel her muscles so tense it hurt._

_"Are you okay?"_

_Kala looked up as her sister walked over in the heels that Kala had helped her pick out only two days ago. She was in her thin little jacket and had her arms wrapped around her body. Despite the pain, Kala smiled and nodded._

_"I'll be fine, take more than that to bring me down."_

_Her sister sighed. "Good. I've called Mum and Dad and they're sending us a taxi. Might be best if you don't let on the real reason to the driver that you were attacked though."_

_"Why?"_

_"Just... we don't know how they'll react. You've been lucky so far in that all the family and our friends have been alright with it, but others will be like those women and those men. I don't want to see you attacked again, you mean too much to me."_

_"So I need to be ashamed of being who I am?" Kala scowled._

_"No, I... sorry," her sister sighed. "I shouldn't ask you to keep it quiet. I'm just shaken that anyone would..."_

_"It's fine. I can handle it," Kala said. "I trust that we're not going to have anymore trouble tonight."_

_All the same, when the car arrived Kala only told the man behind the wheel that the attack had been "an incident that had escalated too far". No sense in revealing more than she really needed to..._

 

The party of four walled through the trees, Gururumon leading the way as he followed the trail that he said led them to Ryuudamon. The other three walked behind him in a line with Bearmon centre and slightly ahead of the two humans. All of them kept their ears open for sounds or any clues about where the lost Partner might have gone.

"We're getting closer," Gururumon said. "His scent is getting stronger... I don't think he knew quite where he was headed to."

"Well where would he have gone back to?" Bearmon asked. "The same incident that had us finding our humans was a result of Ryuudamon's home being raided. The children are no longer there and the Rebellion will have already moved elsewhere. He has nothing to go back to."

"Yes, you'd of course know all about what happened to his old life wouldn't you?" Gururumon replied.

Bearmon clenched his paw angrily. "It's true, but I regret it deeply. I did what I had to, to survive and help save the Chosen..."

Gururumon snorted. "Feeble excuses of a coward who was too scared to fight back."

Bearmon growled but didn't lash out, as they kept walking on. Kala tried to nudge her Partner to look at her, wanting to give him encouragement but Bearmon resolutely ignored her. She frowned, wondering just what he was thinking right now. She remembered that night before they had left the Rebellion base and the questions he had asked her.

_"... Are you sure that you're happy with a partner who has committed such acts...?"_

There was no doubt that she cared about Bearmon, and she was happy to have him as her Partner. But at the same time he was so... abrasive still. He still didn't reveal a lot emotionally and she supposed that was the result of whatever had happened while he was still an underling to Fangmon. From what the others had been saying connection with your Partner was a big part of working with them, especially for the evolution process. But would Bearmon allow her to have that connection if he was so afraid of letting people see his real self?

That tenderness in his eyes when they had bonded on the sand, the point when he said that he had never forgotten her name... he was certainly capable of that connection. She just had to let him know that it was okay for him to care again.

A sudden yelp from the right made them all look in that direction. Jordan hesitated for only a second before he began running in that direction.

"Ryuudamon!!"

 

Penmon struggled against the hold on both of his wings, as whoever had captured him pulled him down a passage hidden in the stone walls. It was dark and he couldn't see who it was but he was not happy about having his flight interrupted. Of course, all angry thoughts regarding his human partner were now far from his mind, only his desire to escape occupied him. That and a little bit of fright from having been intercepted in the first place, but he was too proud to admit it. He kicked his flippers and squawked loudly.

"Shhh! They'll hear you, idiot!"

Okay, that hadn't been expected. The voice was lowered and came from one of the others dragging him. A third someone was behind the group, having sealed up the passage they'd jumped from. Penmon decided that whoever had him though, he'd rather be back with the people he did know and so began struggling and squawking again.

"Shush!"

A slap hit Penmon's beak and for a moment the blue bird Digimon was stunned into silence. It was long enough for those dragging him to pull him to the end of the passage and into a small cavern which was mercifully lit. It was then that Penmon was deposited down onto the group, his three captors stepping aside into the group. Penmon stood up slowly, rubbing his face before he registered that all the Digimon around him were of the same species... and they all looked almost exactly like him only...

"You're red!"

There was a giggle from the group at that exclamation and one stepped forward. "Yes, we are... erm, as you put it 'red'. We're Muchomon you see, the tropical equivalent to your own species." She offered a wing. "It's nice to finally meet the Penmon who was chosen to be a Partner."

Penmon puffed up slightly with pride, offering his wing to the Muchomon and shaking. "Pleasure. But... did you need to jump out at me like that?"

"Necessary precaution," Muchomon insisted. "We don't want the wrong Digimon finding us after all, but we did want to speak with you."

"Speak? With me?" Penmon asked.

"Yes, but we can do that later," Muchomon said, before walking off toward another opening. "Come, we have a lot to show. If you're willing to learn. This area takes a lot of getting used to you see..."

"Hm..." Penmon said. "I should probably get back to make sure the others don't panic... but honestly, information sounds useful right now."

"I'm sure we can provide you with what you want to know, brother of the ice," Muchomon nodded, before indicating with her wing. "Come, we shall eat and I will answer any questions you have for us."

She began to leave, and the other Muchomon filed out with her. Penmon took one look back at the way he had come, before sighing.

"Well, if Connell doesn't care I might need to strike off on my own again anyway," he muttered. "Best that I know what I'm doing."

He began to run after the crowd of other birds, so very similar to himself and he smiled. He'd never met another Penmon or a Muchomon so it was nice to have other Digimon around just like him; it was comfortable. It felt like safety.

 

At first Ryuudamon hadn't registered that he was making a mistake. He was confused and had only desired to try and sort it out by doing something he was familiar with. He wanted to help the young, the innocent... that was all he wanted to do. The Pinamon at first had seemed receptive, all of the small flock turning to him as he approached, speaking in his soothing caretaker voice and assuring them that it'd all be okay. Of course, Pinamon naturally never changed expressions and showed their emotional states by running around madly. When the flock had scattered into the bushes around them Ryuudamon had for a moment thought that he had maybe scared them away. He'd been just about to call out and assure them that everything was okay, and they didn't need to be afraid when he was jumped from the trees around him.

" _ **Falco Rush!**_ "

He was hit by a slamming body, flattened under the attack as more Digimon leapt from the trees and surrounded him. All seemed to be young bird Digimon, including the one who had slammed him. He got back to his feet, tensing up as he realised that he was completely cut off from all avenues of escape. He tried not to shiver, and instead tried to call on his stores of warrior spirit he had supposedly been born with. But still the last time he fought was in his mind, if he got carried away...

"Well well, look what we found," the Digimon who had slammed him said to the assembled. "Filthy Partner, a beacon of 'hope' to the rebels who would try to break the order of the Digital World."

"Doesn't he know that this is _our_ forest?" one of the others called.

"Not his to tramp around in, or try to lure our little brethren away with false promises or hopes!" another cried.

"I'm Falcomon, and I'm going to clue you in," the slamming Rookie said, approaching Ryuudamon. "This forest belongs to Sabirdramon, and all his his bird brethren. Don't think you can 'liberate' us, we're happy here."

"I... I had no plan to," Ryuudamon said finally.

"Liar!"

"He's lying!"

Falcomon snorted. "You'll have to do better than that Partner. Prepare yourself, you won't leave here alive!"

He stepped back and suddenly Ryuudamon realised that the circle was closing around him. He prepared himself to attack, make an opening then escape as quickly as he could. But this was not his forest and the birds would probably know it much better than he would... he might not get away at all.

"Attack!"

" _ **Iai Blade!**_ "

Ryuudamon shot his attack at the nearest opponent, missing but causing it to stumble backwards into a fellow fouling their assault too. He ducked down and dodged another slamming assault before lashing out and tail whipping another. He rolled and began making a break for it, but he was aware that a Piyomon had anticipated him and was ahead. He might be about to get himself quite hurt.

" _ **Magical Fire!**_ "

" ** _Little Bear True Punch!_** "

Bearmon's attack hit Piyomon just as the pink bird Digimon launched their move at Ryuudamon. Ryuudamon was hit, but as he rolled backwards another larger figure launched from the greenery and sailed over him, snarling a challenge. He landed and rolled over into a heap as Bearmon followed Gururumon to fight with the Piyomon and Kala and Jordan emerged from the bushes. Jordan approached Ryuudamon, but the Digimon looked away from him. The man wasn't put off though and knelt down beside the saurian.

"You scared me you know," he said.

"I... I just wanted a simple life," Ryuudamon muttered. "Why can't you let me have a simple life Jordan...?"

Jordan gawped for a second, but then Bearmon came over having finished his fight. He grabbed one of Ryuudamon's claws and began to drag him away from the fight that was now happening between Gururumon and the massed Rookie bird Digimon. Kala ran forward to help.

"We need to get him out of harm's way first, he's hurt," Bearmon said. "No offence Jordan, but your reunion and talking this out will have to wait."

"You won't get away!"

The shout from Falcomon made them all look up. The Rookie was now stood atop a stump, glaring at Gururumon who had handily been coping with the combined onslaught of attacks with little problem. Falcomon seemed to have had enough though, he was so incensed that their attack of the lone Ryuudamon had been so badly interrupted that he seemed to be puffing up larger with anger. In fact he was... glowing.

"Uh oh..." Kala said, familiar enough already with evolution to know what that glow meant.

Falcomon's evolution was nowhere near as fancy as Bakumon's had been, nor as violent as Ryuudamon's botched one the day before. The bird exploded into a mass of data and light that grew and then with a wave of energy revealed a new Digimon. It looked like a large bird with the head of a dinosaur, plumage of green coating him up to the chest after which his plumage was a shade of red-orange that swept down over his tail. Spiky metallic feathers coated the tops of his wings, the lower half of his legs, the top of his neck and gave him a helm with a wickedly curved beak. He looked at himself and laughed.

"You could handle all of us when we were all Rookies Gururumon, but can you handle me as a Diatrymon with my fellows? Let's find out!"

He leapt off the stump toward Gururumon who rolled over to dodge. Bearmon dropped his hold on Ryuudamon's claw and jumped over the saurian to go help. Jordan began to help Kala move the injured Partner away, but they both kept an eye on the battle which had suddenly gotten a lot more frantic. Diatrymon was not able to fly, but the Ancient Bird Digimon was _fast_.

" ** _Mega Dash Impact!_** "

He sped forward and tackled Gururumon, who hadn't managed to get out of the way. The Rebellion Digimon bounced along the floor, but was on his feet and retalliated with a **_Chaos Fire_** attack. Meanwhile Bearmon was trying his best to keep the other bird Rookies from interfering with their fight, but was having trouble defending himself at the same time.

"Take this! And this!" he muttered, punching and swinging at the birds. " ** _Little Bear True_** \- arrgh!"

He was attacked from behind as one of the birds landed on his back and slammed him down onto his front. He snarled and lashed out with a fist, aiming for the Digimon who had attacked him. However when his brain caught up with his eyes he deliberately made sure he missed.

Because the Rookie was holding a Pinamon in front of him like a shield.

"They're... using the smaller Digimon to protect themselves!" Jordan cried, appalled.

"This... this is why... I wanted to save them," Ryuudamon said. "But the Pinamon seem to be working for Sabirdramon's group... of bird Digimon."

"Sabirdramon?"

"He must mean that big black bird who came after us before!"

Gururumon was knocked back again, and he struggled back to his feet between the birds and the humans as Bearmon moved back to join him.

"There really is no end to your cowardice!" Gururumon snarled as the Rookie Digimon arranged themselves and their In-Training shields behind Diatrymon.

Diatrymon smirked. "They are being of service to Sabirdramon's cause. They will gladly die to keep us alive and able to crush you!"

"You're disgusting," Bearmon spat.

"You're one to talk, traitor!" one of the Rookies replied. "How many young innocents did you enlist for Fangmon before you suddenly grew a conscience?"

"Too many," Bearmon admitted. "I knew it was wrong and I did it anyway. I have no excuse but that it kept me alive."

"Then you understand why the Pinamon will die for us," Diatrymon said.

"Yes, and I will stop you!"

The young bear cub took a step forward, holding his fists high and Kala felt a surge of pride in him. It would have been so easy for him to wallow in guilt, in his own self-pity. But here he was, choosing to fight against those he formerly aligned with to stop more of the same acts. For once that steely glare was fitting, for it was not his default stoic, cold one. It was full of determination to make up for past misdeeds, to fight against the wrong being done. To no longer _be_ that Digimon everyone still saw him as. She could almost feel it radiating off him it was so strong.

... Wait, she _could_ feel it.

Something was showing through his fur, a framework of squares glowing green and there in his chest where his heart would be was something fierce and wild. Oddly it didn't make her feel afraid though, it only gave her the same type of determination that existed in Bearmon - a desire to not be who people insisted you should be. Something she could understand perfectly. She walked forward and felt the Device on her wrist begin to vibrate furiously, seeming to only encourage Bearmon's core to expand rapidly.

"Do it Bearmon," she said, with a calm certainty. "You can stop them. I'll help you do it!"

Bearmon looked back to her, met her eye and gave her a nod, a smirk appearing on his face. He knew too. Then with a flash he was running forward and time slowed down as it began...

 

**Bearmon Shinka!**


	23. Enter Dobermon!

**Bearmon Shinka!**

The process began as it had with Bakumon, the wireframe that only Kala could see slowly cutting through the surface of the Rookie's skin as chunks of data slowly began to peel away. As Bearmon's core sent out lashings of energy to capture the flaked off data and form it into the evolution vortex he leaned forward slightly in a sprint, his cap flying backwards off his head and disintegrating into the energy surrounding him from view as the data completed its journey from Bearmon's form to complete the crackling energy mass around him, growing larger and beginning the process of folding back onto the Digimon inside.

Longer legs formed beneath his body, data constructing three claws on each paw and a sharp blade on the back of each leg. The wireframe that had formed Bearmon's long arms also formed a second pair of legs with a similar design, the belts wrapped around them shattering into the data that became an eye-like marking on each flank and shoulder of his new form. The squat body of the Rookie elongated and reformed itself into a sleek if skinny one with a large chest and ridges down the back that resembled spinal vertebrae, ending in the formation of a short pointed tail stub at the end. Finally as the last of the data fell back into line, the vortex splashed back down over Bearmon, shaping the rounded head into a much more pointed shape with a long muzzle, data building two longer dark ears and a giant silvery collar. Then with the familiar shockwave of energy, evolution completed and the new Digimon was revealed.

Covered in mostly an almost black fur, with a dark brown furred underbelly and paws, Bearmon's Champion stage was a skinny if powerful looking canine Digimon in appearance. Of the belts and cap there were no sign but the Digimon wore a massive silver collar with large spikes on it, the eyes on his face and his sides all red. He came to a stop in between both groups and snarled at the assembled birds, causing them to shrink back slightly.

**Dobermon!**

"Bearmon evolved!" Jordan cried.

"I-Impossible!" Diatrymon cried. "You couldn't have evolved unless-! You would really choose to throw away all that you earned over these years of faithful service to work with these intruding, arrogant humans? You dirty animal traitor!"

"It was my destiny to be a Partner, and at this moment I can say it's paying off better than anything I did for Fangmon," Dobermon replied, then grinned. "Now, shall we resume fighting? I'd say the odds are a lot more even now. And no using the little ones as a shield, I want to see what this new form can do!"

 

"He can't have just vanished!"

Cerys flopped down on a flat rock and sighed as Bakumon collapsed at her feet. He nuzzled her foot but she instead focused on Connell, who was pacing around angrily, shining her torch around and continuing to feel along the rocky walls for anything, something.

"No, he couldn't but whoever took him has done a very good job of covering their tracks," Cerys said. "I'm just hoping that there wasn't another entrance hidden above us that our enemies used to get in from the other side."

"I'd forgotten they were chasing us," Connell admitted ruefully. "But we're in less of a good position to meet them with only Bakumon to rely upon."

Bakumon huffed. "I could take them on alone."

"Maybe, but with Penmon you'd have a much better chance."

"He has a point Bakumon," Cerys replied.

"No fair, you're meant to be on my side!"

"We're all on the same side..."

They all froze as suddenly they heard the sound of stone sliding against stone slowly, almost as if a door was being opened. Connell quickly turned to shine his torch in the direction of the noises as Cerys raised herself from her sitting position quietly and Bakumon stood, ears a-twitching. The torch fell on another flattish rock down the way that had previously blended into the scenery around them and would still... if it hadn't rotated a full 90 degrees around from its previous position.

"I hear someone..." Bakumon whispered.

Connell began to back toward the others, torch moving around in case they could spot whoever was stalking them. As he stepped though his foot suddenly collided with something. Something soft but that bounced back. Something that yelped.

"Ow!"

In a flash, Connell span around as Bakumon leapt forward in the darkness to pounce upon the mysterious Digimon. It was then they heard the other footsteps and realised that there was more of them in the darkness. Before they could react to this, Connell was rammed in his legs as he turned, causing him to stumble and the torch in his hand to go flying. Cerys was tackled from the right, slamming her down to the floor as something else shot toward Bakumon. She looked up and called out to him.

"Bakumon, look out!"

" _ **Ardent Flare!**_ "

 

Penmon nibbled at the bread he'd been provided with, sat at the long table between two of the Muchomon as they all tucked into a quick meal. Despite the assurances about his questions being answered he had been told that all would be revealed after they had eaten. Curious as he was, Penmon was hungry and this bread and fruit was so good he couldn't help but accept the Muchomon's hospitality in this moment. He would need his strength to carry out his task after all.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself, ice brother," said the Muchomon who appeared to be their spokesmon.

"This is so good!" Penmon replied, stuffing his beak and chewing. "I thought this area would be barren, but I guess even fruits and wheat will grow on suitable stony fields!"

"Oh yes, we've some wonderful fields. A lot of this fruit grows better in higher places," one of the other Muchomon replied.

"Some of it though... well, it's not from around here," the lead Muchomon said, with a grin. "We get it, as is our due."

"Your due?" Penmon paused, a bread roll held in each wing.

"You're incredibly lucky you realise."

"Yes, so lucky. Much luckier than the others."

Penmon blinked in confusion, realising that all of the Muchomon were now looking straight at him, their food forgotten about. It unnerved him quite a bit, and he slowly placed the bread back onto the table in front of him. For the first time, he was beginning to suspect that something wasn't quite as he'd thought it was. He folded his wings.

"Can someone please explain to me just what is going on?"

"Oh Penmon, the _great Penmon_ ," the lead Muchomon said, getting to her feet and pacing with her wings behind her back. "The self-styled "Greatest Rebel of the Digital World"... yet you didn't suspect us at all. No questioning, you just came in and had a meal with us."

The other Muchomon giggled slightly, smirking and Penmon slammed his wings on the table.

"What is going on?!"

"As my friends say, you're the luckiest one of the entire team of travelling outlaws who are passing through this area controlled by Sabirdramon," and she stopped by him, before offering a friendly wing. "You're a bird Digimon and that means you have a choice. We're here to offer you a place within Sabirdramon's bird-ruled organisation."

Penmon blinked for a second, hardly believing what he was hearing. Then, and he couldn't help himself, he began to laugh.

"You obviously know who I am," he laughed. "I'm a Rebellion Digimon. Always have been, always will be. What makes you think that I'll suddenly go join the other side?"

"Because your little Rebellion are deluding themselves," and Muchomon's voice suddenly dipped angrily. "They always have been! The Digimon and forces in control now are too powerful, too well established. Soon no resistance will survive anymore, and that includes your precious human partners. They had their chance years ago but didn't come then, so what can they do now to stop us?"

"I guess we'll find out."

Penmon stood and headed for the passage that led back to the other room. Muchomon watched him go, calmly glaring at him. Another Muchomon waited until Penmon was long gone and turned to her.

"Shouldn't we go after him?"

"No, leave our ice brother," Muchomon ordered. "After all, there's been plenty of time. Soon Penmon will see that he has no choice but to join with us under Sabirdramon's leadership!"

 

" _ **Mega Dash Impact!**_ "

Gururumon avoided another attack by Diatrymon by a hair as the battle raged, ducking another Falcomon as it tried to catch him off guard. Dobermon followed it and clamped down hard on the bird, flattening it to the ground with his front paws and twisting up the Rookie's wing as it yelled in pain. Two Piyomon jumped on his back but Dobermon used the Falcomon to knock them away, leaving the defeated Rookie on the ground. He caught Gururumon's eye.

"I can handle these small fry, you concentrate on Diatrymon!"

"I don't need you to tell me what to do!"

" _ **Destruction Roar!**_ "

Diatrymon realised a blast from his mouth that caused the ground to tear, Gururumon leapt over it and answered with a **_Chaos Fire_** , but Diatrymon blocked with his metallic head, laughing triumphantly. Gururumon snarled.

"He's tough!"

"I have an idea," Dobermon replied. "Don't let any of them interfere."

He raced forward before Gururumon could ask what he was planning to do, headed for Diatrymon with his jaws open. Diatrymon laughed again and lowered his head for another **_Mega Dash Impact_** attack. Dobermon smirked.

"Got you."

He brought his front paws forward, pulling his muzzle back and aiming for the bowed head. He landed on the Ancient Bird's head and then pushed off from it to get above Diatrymon, who looked up to him, confused. Dobermon faced back down and all of his eyes opened fully.

" ** _Grey Realm!_** "

There was a shudder through the air as something went through it, and then suddenly Diatrymon felt his muscles locking up, freezing him in place as the attack hit. He tried to move, speak; but it was useless. Dobermon looked to Gururumon.

"Now, while I've got him frozen!"

Gururumon needed no further encouragement, pouncing on Diatrymon and using his fanged jaws went for the Ancient Bird Digimon's feathery exposed neck with a **_Killer Bite_** attack. Diatrymon's body unfroze as it hit, causing him to spasm out and squawk loudly before Gururumon yanked and broke the other Champion's neck, silencing him for good. As Diatrymon began to break down, Gururumon turned to the remaining birds, dripping blood off his jaws just as Dobermon landed beside him and showing of his own fangs in a snarl.

"You have one chance to run. I suggest you leave now."

There was a pause of a few seconds as the grouped Rookies blinked, and then they all turned tail and ran for it. Dobermon gave chase to the edge of the clearing, snapping at their heels and then stopped, giving a snort of derision.

"Shouldn't let them go because they'll tell Sabirdramon about us," he sighed, then walked back to the others. "But honestly, they're not worth the effort of chasing them down."

"I hope you're right," Gururumon muttered.

"So do I."

Then Dobermon was swallowed in light and with a shockwave, the Champion was a Rookie again. Bearmon sagged slightly as Kala ran forward to support him.

"I'm okay, just a bit tired," he assured her, pushing her gently away with a paw. "I can see why Bakumon collapsed after his own evolution now. First time must be the most difficult because we don't know what to expect..."

"We should get back to the others," Jordan said, looking around. "We've found Ryuudamon now and if those other Digimon do alert this Sabirdramon..."

"Yes, we don't need another fight," Gururumon agreed. "Can you walk Ryuudamon?"

"Yes, of course," Ryuudamon replied, getting to his feet.

"Then let's get out of here, quickly. We might make it back to the Pyocomon village before evening."

 

Penmon emerged from the tunnel into what he assumed must be the same dark stony passage he'd been running down when the Muchomon had grabbed him. Why had he run again? He recalled the conversation from earlier but now that he thought about it... was that what Connell had really said? Maybe he'd overreacted but he had seemed to be very annoyed that his world wasn't in danger. Maybe he ought to actually have a more in-depth conversation with the human man and find out what was truly going on. Either way, he would continue to work towards restoring peace, it was his role in this after all. Always had been.

He came to a fork in the passages and realised that a short way down one of them, was a light. He hesitated for a moment as he wondered whether approaching it would be a good idea. He didn't really have any other potential leads to where Connell, Bakumon and Cerys would have gone though so toward it was the way he headed. His slap-slap-slap of flippered footsteps were the only sound as he cautiously approached, hoping to the higher realms that he wasn't headed into a trap of some sort. What he found though was a sign of the others.

"A torch?"

He picked it up and considered it, the beam shining over his head before he shrugged and directed it forward. Immediately the light fell upon a thing that made him go cold. It was a hand. A _human_ hand. He ran forward with a squawk, resolving that the hand belonged to his human partner who lay on the ground semi-conscious and groaning in pain. A short way off Cerys lay crumpled across a raised flat rock, a bloody gash to her head. It seemed like she too had just woken up, but her head was hurting too much to move much.

"A-are you okay? Connell!" Penmon cried, placing a wing against the man's shoulder and shaking.

"Pe-Penmon...?"

Connell turned his head slightly, one eye bruised shut. He gave a slight grin at the sight of the Digimon.

"We were looking... for you."

"What happened?" Penmon asked.

"Ambushed," he heard Cerys mumble. "They used the darkness. Surprised... oh, oh no!"

They heard her sitting up and then cursing loudly as the quick movement jarred her head. Connell struggled up too, holding his right shoulder. He looked about and then to Cerys, who seemed to be trembling.

"They got what they came for."

"Yes," Cerys sounded scared. "They've taken B-Bakumon."

"... Shit."


	24. A Leap of Faith

_Chicchimon bounded towards the opening of the hollow they had taken shelter in that night. It was still dark outside in this floating forest and his small eyes had trouble seeing very far in the gloom. All around them the forest was eerily quiet, almost unnaturally so. He shivered from the bottom of his round yellow-feathered body to the tip of his long red feather crest. What he was considering was very risky indeed._

_Behind him he heard the gentle snoring of PetitMeramon, the only other remaining Partner Digimon around. Kyokyomon had disappeared a long time ago in the midst of their first real enemy attack, as they fled along a rocky narrow pass. They had been fortunate that a group of Airdramon had appeared almost immediately after the first attacks, causing enough of a distraction that Wanyamon had managed to lead them to a tiny fissure in the wall that had hidden inside before realising that the floor inside didn't extend very far at all and they wall began rolling down a tunnel that led them down to a hidden underground river. They had landed in it and been swept a long way before the water finally emerged in a mercifully low waterfall into a lake that was surrounded with a vast and inflatable city. PetitMeramon had suffered greatly from being in the water, as well as having been the only one who had seen what had befallen Kyokyomon. He'd fallen extremely sick and Wanyamon and Chicchimon had taken it in turns to look after their friend while the other went foraging for food. At least, until the day when Wanyamon had gone looking and never come back..._

_When PetitMeramon had recovered, he'd told Chicchimon about what he'd seen, about Kyokyomon's being blown off the side of the cliff. They had both agreed that by now he was likely to be very long gone from that spot, given not only the distance they had travelled but also the amount of time spent waiting for the fever to break. They had ventured away from the inflatable city, keeping themselves as hidden as possible as they witnessed few Digimon who weren't in some titanic battle for their lives or a territory. Around them the Digital World was slowly tearing itself apart, and the takeover was obviously in full swing. They both agreed that as Partners they had to do something, but what?_

_"We need to go back."_

_"What?"_

_PetitMeramon had told Chicchimon that they had a duty to go back to the place they had been born, grown up in and fled weeks before. They had a duty to return and wait for the Call to be answered._

_"Our humans will come, I just know they will!"_

_"They missed the Call though. Isn't it too late now?"_

_"But... how can we be Partners if we're alone?"_

_Chicchimon had begun to follow PetitMeramon as the fireball led him back the way they'd come, back towards the Call and the portal set up. Yet... Chicchimon felt that they didn't have time to waste really. Sure they could wait for the humans to come, but the Digital World needed help now didn't it? It made more sense to act rather than wait. PetitMeramon was set on going back though... and despite knowing that the loss of his only other fellow remaining Partner would kill poor PetitMeramon, Chicchimon wasn't content to just wait. Not anymore._

_"I'm sorry... PetitMeramon."_

_Chicchimon leapt into the air, from the hollow under the floating tree they had been taking their rest in. His tiny wings didn't allow for flight, but buzzing them as fast as he could allowed for Chicchimon to glide down towards the ground. He would leave and he would fight. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to do this without the help of a human for now..._

_" **Toy Flame!** "_

_Hearing the attack cry from behind him, Chicchimon swung himself around while still mid-air and noticed what he hadn't before. A rather blocky looking creature had launched itself from another floating tree, its body as dark as the night around it but lit up slightly in the moonlight. It had shot off an attack and with a jolt Chicchimon noticed that although it had noticed him, the **Toy Flame** was instead sailing towards..._

_"PetitMeramon! Wake up!"_

_The attack smashed into the tree covering the hollow from which Chicchimon had leapt and in which PetitMeramon slept on, ignorant of the danger. A loud crashing echoed around the forest and the ShadowToyAgumon turned slightly as he landed back on his tree, smirking at Chicchimon as the In-Training continued to fall watching the hiding spot above his friend collapse. At least, he thought the Rookie was smirking, it was hard to tell with that face..._

_A screaming made them both turn and as the ground under the tree collapsed, PetitMeramon fell from between the rocks and soil, his fiery body glowing slightly in the darkness. Chicchimon hit the top of a tree that wasn't floating suddenly and floundered, trying to keep himself atop the branches and help his friend. ShadowToyAgumon needed no time to sure up his footing though and leapt again, claw held forward to intercept PetitMeramon's fall. Chicchimon finally managed to free himself and raced forward too._

_"No!!"_

 

**_Chicchimon Shinka!_ **

 

_Even though his new body's legs were not that long or powerful, and his wings not designed for flight the bird-Digimon launched himself off his tree at the ShadowToyAgumon and knocked him away from the flame. He pulled back a wing as the two Rookies fell together, entangled with each other._

_" **ENDLESS SLAP!!** "_

 

_Penmon wandered the ground forest, searching desperately for any signs of PetitMeramon. The fight with ShadowToyAgumon had been difficult, he wasn't used to having such long wings, a squat body or feet... he'd fought though, fought so hard. PetitMeramon would have fallen such a long way and with that attack... Penmon dared not to yell for the other Partner though, as he had noticed other Digimon in the area who looked like trouble. He could only hope that they hadn't found his friend first... why had he even entertained the idea of leaving PetitMeramon behind like that? He could have at least..._

_No, he'd make it up to PetitMeramon, to Wanyamon and Kyokyomon too. As far as he knew he was now the only one, the only Partner remaining._

_And he had his duty._

 

"Penmon, wait!"

Upon hearing the news that Bakumon was gone, Penmon had instantly turned back around and run towards the tunnel he had just left. He had dropped the torch in his hurry and Connell had picked it up, following his Digimon with Cerys who was still holding her head in an attempt to stem the bleeding from the gash on it. Penmon had wiggled down the passage which he had previously sealed up, hoping to find and confront the Muchomon. It was a foolish thing to do, with his being vastly outnumbered to be contended with but at the moment he didn't care.

He emerged into the first room in which he had met the red-feathered Digimon who had looked so much like himself, and found it deserted. He took a quick glance about before proceeding forward, just as the two humans emerged from the tunnel behind him. He ran to the dining area, only to find that it too was deserted and in fact looked as if the Muchomon had left in a hurry. As he began to run around the table, both Connell and Cerys finally entered the room.

"What are you doing?" Connell asked.

"I was taken by a group working for the enemy," Penmon explained, as he began to check under the table for clues. "A group of Muchomon, who told me that they wanted me to come and work for their boss Sabirdramon. I laughed it off of course!"

"So, you were hoping to find out what's happened to Bakumon?"

"I will find out," Penmon swore. "I won't let them get away with this."

"They obviously knew about the connection between each partnership though," Cerys muttered. "They only took Bakumon but not me too... he can't evolve without me there or the Device."

"Well, he might be able too, but do we want him to?" Connell asked. "Remember when Ryuudamon evolved by himself...?"

"Hope the others found him safely."

"Ahem."

A sudden small cough made them turn around. Behind them all was a sole Muchomon, waiting. Penmon leapt on top of the table and ran over, his face contorted with anger and wings flapping.

"You!"

"Calm down ice brother," said the Muchomon. " _I'm_ not here to fight. No, not yet."

"You're with...?" Cerys began.

"Sabirdramon, yes," the Muchomon said. "But as I have said, I am not here to attack you right now."

"And what's to stop us from destroying you where you stand?" Connell asked, catching Penmon's eye who looked very close to leaping forward and slapping Muchomon.

"Well, I assume you want to know where we took the animal," Muchomon grinned. "If you kill me, you'll never know. Not that it matters, all animal Digimon are vermin and this one being a Partner? Well, it's just a bonus for its extermination."

"You leave Bakumon alone!" Cerys hissed.

"Then do as I say and you'll see him again. Follow me."

Muchomon turned and began to walk back the way he'd come, indicating that they should follow him. Penmon leapt from the table between the two humans, and made like he was going to attack from behind but then stopped.

"No, an attack from behind would be a coward's tactic," he said. "I am a Rebellion Digimon and a Partner. I have standards."

"And we need him to show us where Bakumon is," Cerys said. "Come on, both of you. Let's play along for now."

"Eyes open though," Connell said, and the other two nodded agreement.

They began to walk after the Muchomon, Penmon in the lead with Cerys behind him. Connell had taken up the rear and was constantly looking around, shining the torch along the walls and floor and ceiling to be sure that nothing else was waiting to surprise them on the way. Penmon was angrily glaring at the back of Muchomon's head, flexing his wings moodily and obviously waiting for his chance to fight. Cerys walked along, gently rubbing her finger along the screen of her Device as it sat on her wrist. She had turned on the backlight and was watching the two-frame LCD representation of Bakumon's head, chewing her lip.

"He'd better be okay," she muttered to herself.

 

Bakumon's head hurt. There was no better way to put it, it was extremely sore. As if he'd been hit in it.

Oh wait. He had.

" _This_ is the one that defeated Fangmon?"

"Yeah... but then I guess fighting and killing each other is what beasts do best."

"What more can you expect from _animals_?"

Those voices. They were talking about him. At least, it sounded like they were. He had been the one to take on and finally put down Fangmon after all, but only because he'd had to. Fangmon would have murdered Jordan and Ryuudamon otherwise, before going on to kill others. He'd had to take action and Cerys had helped him do that, hadn't she? It wasn't as if he'd relished killing the other Digimon...

"Ugh, it's a lazy beast too."

No he wasn't. His head just hurt.

Bakumon opened one eye and winced as the light assaulted his pupil, forcing him to blink a couple of times to allow for adjustment. He heard the voices again.

"Sir, it's finally waking up."

"Good," and the voice sent a chill down Bakumon, who recognised it as belonging to the large black bird who had ambushed them before and then come after them again. "Keep it suspended here, Muchomon should be arriving with our guests soon. Then we can finally deal with this."

Suspended?

He raised his head, gritting his teeth against the pain and finally looking around at where he was. Around him in the air were a few Rookie bird Digimon, all observing him with a mixture of amusement and disgust. They seemed to have place him onto a stone that was barely big enough for him to lay on and said stone was balanced on top of a thin stone pillar which fortunately seemed to be holding strong as it stretched way off up into the air with the nearest mountain cliff being a long, long way off. Much too far away for him to jump, and given the malicious looks from the Digimon around him, he doubted that they had his safety in mind. If they wanted to, they could send him for a very high drop down into a very hard looking rocky ground below.

It didn't help that he didn't particularly like heights either...

"Ha, it's scared!"

"Wh-what are you doing?" Bakumon tried, failing to keep a tremor of fear out of his voice. "Get me down from here!"

"Oh, you'll be coming down alright," one of the young birds laughed. "Very, very fast. But only when our master says so."

A shadow swooped by and suddenly it had landed on the same stone platform that Bakumon was on, the giant bird looming over him as he shrunk down, unable to do much else to avoid being flattened. He looked up and into the eye of Sabirdramon, who had lowered his head to stare at the Rookie.

"You Partners really are powerless without your humans aren't you?" he laughed shrilly. "If that infuriating Gururumon hadn't interfered last time I wouldn't have to look at your disgusting beast face anymore..."

"You get away from him!"

Cerys' voice as she arrived from a cave on the nearby cliff and saw her Partner being bullied made them all look around. Muchomon was now leaping away to rejoin his group on a ledge nearby as both humans and Penmon walked forward to confront Sabirdramon and his bird army. The large black Champion smiled.

"Our guests finally join us," he said. "But I'm afraid there will be no party. I can't let you intruders to our world cause anymore of a disturbance to our efforts."

"Let Bakumon go!" Cerys demanded.

"You'd dare to command Sabirdramon?" scoffed a Piyomon. "Sabirdramon is leader here, and what are you going to do with your weak human form?"

As Cerys hesitated to answer, Sabirdramon again bent his head down towards Bakumon, this time scooping the Rookie up in his mouth before tossing him into the air. Cerys startled forward in shock as her Partner screamed, before relaxing slightly as Sabirdramon simply put up a foot and caught the Rookie in his claws. He then took off with Bakumon still held firmly in his grasp, squirming desperately. Connell and Penmon started forward too, but suddenly the Muchomon leapt down and formed a barrier at the edge of the cliff, smirking. Cerys began to reach for her Device.

"Hold it!" Sabirdramon put the squeeze on Bakumon. "If you dare to even try to make this foul animal evolve again, I will drop him. I doubt that you can make him Unimon when he's just a stain on the floor."

Cerys' eyes widened, but she moved her hand away from her Device. The Muchomon began to surge forward towards her, and she took a step back. Penmon raised his wing as they began to move but once against Sabirdramon made to drop Bakumon and he stopped, allowing two of the red bird Digimon to grab onto and subdue Bakumon's partner. Another two grabbed onto Connell, who tugged a little but didn't actively resist as he too was watching Sabirdramon and Bakumon. Both humans were forced onto their knees, as Penmon looked at them, powerless to act.

"Now," and Sabirdramon addressed Penmon. "I know that my Muchomon division has already approached you Penmon, because they think you're worth saving. I have my doubts, but I offer amnesty and safety for all bird Digimon, if they will work for me and help me maintain order here."

"And if I don't want to?" Penmon asked.

"Then you'll die along with these humans and this beast, but at least you will get a second chance by being reformatted," Sabirdramon said. "Either way, you will be one of us Penmon. Make it easier and just give in now."

"Only if you let them go!" Penmon cried.

"Penmon, no!" Bakumon cried.

"Penmon, you're a Rebellion Digimon," Connell protested. "Why would you do this?"

"A Rebellion Digimon works for the Digital World, and chief among that is to protect the things that can save it," Penmon replied. "If I have to join evil to let you live, then I will."

"How noble," mocked one of the flying bird Digimon.

"But ultimately, the wrong answer," Sabirdramon finished. "Kill them. But first, let them watch."

He began to gain height and Bakumon, suspecting what was in store began to fight even harder against his captor, before seeing how high they were getting and attempting to grab hold of Sabirdramon's claws. Cerys too began to fight, trying her hardest to reach her Device, and the Muchomon slammed her down on her stomach, winding her and pinning her two arms far away from each other. Connell too was slammed flat to the ground as the rest of the birds closed the gap and Penmon looked on powerless.

"If only I could fly!" he muttered.

" _ **Chaos Fire!**_ "

An attack from the cavern behind took them by surprise, sailing over the heads of Cerys, Connell, Penmon and the Muchomon holding them down, and scattering the advancing army. Gururumon ran out of the cavern growling and the Muchomon fell back, allowing both Cerys and Connell to stand again. Behind him Jordan and Ryuudamon appeared, with Jordan seemingly supporting Ryuudamon; as well as Kala and Bearmon who leapt forward into action.

"Even the odds Bearmon!" Kala cried.

" ** _Little Bear True Punch!_** "

Bearmon swung both fists at once, connecting to a pair of Muchomon and sending them sailing back into two of the flying birds and out of sight. Gururumon had started climbing the mountain to chase after Sabirdramon, Cerys darted forward, avoiding a few more of the bold Muchomon as she tried to get close enough to potentially make Bakumon evolve if she could. Even though she reached the cliff she scowled.

"He's too high!" she cried. "Gururumon!"

"Let the Bakumon go!" Gururumon shouted after Sabirdramon. " ** _Chaos Fire!_** "

His attack shot at Sabirdramon, who dodged to one side to avoid it. Unfortunately this also loosened his grip on Bakumon, and the Partner began falling. Cerys tried to run for the cliff edge, but her passage was blocked by the Muchomon who had followed her. Undeterred she began lashing out at them, trying to get to Bakumon. The dodge had moved Sabirdramon over a bit and Bakumon landed on the stone platform he'd been lay on before, but bounced and rolled off, just catching the edge with his two front legs as he dangled off the edge, a terrifying fall below him.

"Help!" he cried, trying his hardest to climb back up but failing.

"No!" Gururumon tried to climb back down to try and help but Sabirdramon dived for him and the Champion was forced to engage in a fight.

"Bakumon!" Bearmon paused in his fighting of the army to register that his fellow was in danger.

"He's going to fall!" Cerys cried.

Connell had made it to the edge of the cliff but he couldn't think of what to do. He had no rope, no grappling hook... it was too far away but if they didn't do something Bakumon was done for. Suddenly he registered that Penmon was beside him, flexing his wings.

"You can't be serious?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Penmon asked.

"You're going to try and fly over there to save him aren't you?"

"So what if I am? Someone has to do something, right?"

"Penmon, _can_ you fly?"

"I don't know, but I've never really tried it before."

"Idiot, you'll just wind up suffering the same fate. Then where will I be?"

"Still wishing you weren't here I bet." Penmon answered.

"Listen," Connell said, as he looked down at his Digimon. "Cerys was right before. I didn't want to come here. I still don't want to be here, especially now that I know that this has no effect on my world. But... you. You're something."

"So?"

"For you, I'll stay. I'll help you save this world, so you don't have to do it alone. And if you want to fly, well, I'll help you do that too. If you want."

Penmon gave him a grin. "I could live with that."

"He's slipping!"

Bakumon could feel himself losing grip. Gravity was going to win. Yet, just as he fell he saw Penmon launch himself from the cliff toward him, and for a moment he remembered that something like this had happened once before too. He hoped that this leap of faith would work just as well.

 

**Penmon Shinka!**


	25. The Maiden Flight of the Greatest Rebel

**Penmon Shinka!**

Once again green check began to break through the surface of Penmon's feathers, neatly dividing his white chest and blue-purple plumage into rectangular particles that were pulled into the evolution vortex shielding his outline and Digital Core from view. His beak and feet followed with his long head feathers being stripped from the base upward until the tips were the last parts still visible before vanishing inside the evolution process too.

As the swirling data seemed to pulse outwards and expand it seemed to drop slightly in the air, then two long formations of wireframe broke through the sides of the vortex, scattering data around that swiftly tracked back towards the wireframe and layered itself on top, covering them in soft white feathers to form two large wings tipped at the edges with a pale purple colour. Inside two legs were built up from the base of the body, still short but sturdy, as more long purple tipped white feathers built a new tail and the rebuilding of the body spread from its base upwards to form a new larger, rounded body as wireframe built up from it to form a long neck and head. Then the Digimon inside dived, smashing through the still orbiting data. The energy tracks forced that data after the diving form and armour built over the legs, also moving forward to cover the shoulders of the form with a sturdy plate and a helm over the newly formed thin head atop a long neck with the Digimon's long beak forming underneath as it completed and data washing over previously red eyes to colour them a soft green. With the familiar wave of energy, evolution was finished with the new Champion diving to reach Bakumon.

**Swanmon!**

The Champion had already formed his new body into a dart-shape before evolution had finished, wings tucked to his side and beak forward as he swooped to save Bakumon from hitting the solid ground below. As the fight continued around him Connell clenched his fist and grit his teeth, urging his Partner on as fast as he could. A few seconds before it would have been too dangerous to continue in the dive, Swanmon managed to catch up to the terrified Rookie, scooping his neck under Bakumon and flaring his wings out, letting his feet drop. The landing was not what you could call dignified, as Swanmon stumbled forward upon hitting the ground and landed on his chest with wings and tail sprawled out. However, as Bakumon rolled off of his neck in a shaken, but very much alive pile, the bird Digimon smiled at his friend.

"Sorry for cutting it so close there."

"I'm still alive... can't complain..."

"At least I could catch you this time."

They both got back up onto their feet, just as they heard a series of small blasts from the cliff where the others still were. They looked at each other.

"Going up?" Swanmon asked, offering one of his wings to Bakumon as a pathway.

"Thought you'd never ask!" Bakumon said, scrambling on board. "Get me to Cerys, I've a little payback to give these bird Digimon!"

Swanmon smirked in understanding with his eyes shining in excitement, taking a slight run up before leaping into the air, using his new powerful wings to gain altitude. He gave a whoop of exhilaration as he pumped himself upwards, his Champion form strong and easily able to lift himself and his passenger.

"This is even better than I imagined it would be!" he cried, as he climbed higher. "Oh I love this evolution so much!"

"Just don't unseat me before we get up there!" Bakumon shouted back over the draft of Swanmon's climb. "You'll have plenty of time to fly around once I'm safely on the ground again!"

"Just hold on, I'll do a flyby!"

Having gained enough height now to see the battle was in full force, Swanmon flew forward, aiming himself at a small grouping of flying Rookies that he ploughed through easily. As he laughed in giddy joy at their efforts to correct their flight, Bakumon saw Cerys still fighting the Muchomon not too far away and, letting go of Swanmon's neck, launched himself towards his human.

"Cerys!" he cried.

Cerys looked over at his cry, her eyes lighting up as she saw that her Partner was no worse for wear after his ordeal. She nodded at him and Bakumon nodded back, feeling her relief as if it were his own and allowing it to once again power his Digital Core as it began to expand and push outwards.

**Bakumon Shinka!**

**Unimon!**

Unimon bowled through the Muchomon, scattering them like bowling pins. He came to a halt in front of Cerys and she patted him on the neck happily.

"Good to see you still in one piece."

"Swanmon had a handle on his new body fast enough to make sure I was," Unimon snorted. "Now, what shall we do with these Digimon?" He looked over at the Muchomon, who were slowly getting to their feet, some trembling as they realised their kidnapee was now stood in front of them in a very powerful form.

"Well, I'd say that's up to you," Cerys grinned. "They did kidnap you after all, it seems only fair you should decide."

Unimon laughed. "I thought you'd say that."

He planted his feet as the Muchomon began to cling together in fright. Then he charged once more, tossing a Muchomon upwards with a thrust of his horn as the other red feathered Rookies scattered around him. He turned and chose a target, swinging his body around to chase after, slowing his pace as he opened his mouth and took in energy.

" ** _Holy Shot!_** "

The energy ball knocked the fleeing Muchomon to one side unconscious and kept going until it took out 2 of the group surrounding Bearmon. The bear cub nodded a thanks, before resuming his battle. By this point Kala had also joined in the fight, dodging diving birds and lashing out when she could. Over by the rock face Jordan was still supporting Ryuudamon, who although reluctant to fully enter the battle was at least doing a good job of snarling enough to make any enemies think twice about approaching. Connell meanwhile was still near the edge, watching Swanmon as the Champion executed tricks to try and lose a group of pursuing Falcomon behind him. As Swanmon laughed happily, he flew very close to the mountain and Connell saw him just graze the edge of one flight feather, although not enough to seriously throw off his direction. He scowled.

"Swanmon, be careful!" he shouted. "I know you wanted to evolve, but this is your first time in this form. Don't crash for god's sake!"

"I'll be fine!" Swanmon shouted, rolling over in time for a Falcomon who had put on a burst of speed to attack to go sailing past. "I was _hatched_ ready to fly!"

Connell felt himself puff up with frustration. He didn't want to see that idiot run foul of his tricks, they needed his help here. They might be outnumbered but with three Champions they could win still...

A pained howl made him looked around, away from Swanmon. He only got the briefest glimpse of Gururumon's crumpled form sliding down the steep pass he'd been up, battling Sabirdramon and Cerys' startled and worried expressions as she watched something up high moving, before the large black shadow was hurtling towards him and he realised that in his distraction first helping Penmon to evolve, then to make sure Swanmon was fighting well enough he had neglected to consider his own positioning in the battle.

"Die human!"

Sabirdramon's headbutt hit him in the stomach and he knew that the large black bird was attempting to use the same trick that had almost ended Bakumon's life a few minutes earlier on. Stupid, he was still too near the cliff edge, how could he have not realised someone would try to knock him off?

"Connell!" He heard Swanmon's cry of alarm before he saw the large boulder ahead of one of the Champion's white downy wings. Unfortunately Swanmon did not see the stony obstacle and this time the blow to his wing was much more severe, sending him tumbling and faceplanting into the cliff floor as the chasing Rookies pounced on top of him. This wasn't exactly the time to say "Told you so." though.

" **Shit!** "

Gravity had never felt so terrifying to him, as the natural force began to exert itself onto his body and Sabirdramon gave a cry of malicious triumph from somewhere above him. Kala's scream reached him next as he fell, along with some bird cries that he imagined must belong to the enemies piling on top of Swanmon as his Partner tried to get out from under them to save him. Even if he could though, it'd be a very close thing, especially if his wing was hurting in anyway. The sound of hooves was growing louder as Unimon continued his charge, and with a start Connell realised that they were approaching. Above him the sun was suddenly blotted out as as four-legged horse-like body leapt over the cliff too. As Unimon plunged down after him, Connell's view was further obstructed by two large limbs on Unimon's back and Connell remembered - Unimon could also fly. At least, in theory.

Guess they were all about to find out if Unimon could learn to use his wings in time too.

He tried to spread his body as as far as he could to maximise the air drag on his body, as Unimon pointed himself downwards. The horse-like Champion passed him and then he felt the solid back under him, and he quickly scrambled to grab around Unimon's neck as the Champion worked the muscles that he hadn't had to in his last appearance. Gradually they began to slow and then lifted upwards carefully, as Connell seated himself more securely on the furred back and gave a sigh of relief.

"Nice catch," he muttered, patting Unimon's neck once and hearing the Champion give a relieved but amused snort.

"You're mine!"

Swanmon's angry voice sounded and as Sabirdramon flew past the cliff, suddenly Swanmon was in the air again, his bruised wing not seeming to make too much of a difference as he flew to engage Sabirdramon in battle. The black bird turned and Connell and Unimon saw the two of them swooped towards each other, before peeling off in different directions.

"Take him Swanmon!" Connell heard Unimon cry.

Swanmon executed a tight turn, not quite as practiced as Sabirdramon's but it was clear that as time went on he was becoming more comfortable in the air. The anger that Connell could feel through his bond with his Partner also might be spurring the white bird onwards to learning just a little bit faster and being a little less over certain of his abilities right now. The two headed towards each other again.

" ** _Black Saber!_** "

Sabirdramon's attack was barely avoided by his opponent, smashing into the cliffside battle and scattering Digimon about. Fortunately all of the Chosen were out of the impact zone, but Bearmon had to shield his face from flying rocks as the debris flew towards him.

"We need to get out of the blast zone!" Kala called.

"In here!" Jordan beckoned to them from the cavern.

"Unimon!" Cerys turned to her Partner's shape in the sky as he kept a safe distance from the battle.

"I need to stay near Swanmon!" Connell called back.

Cerys nodded to show she'd heard. "Unimon, do your best!"

"On it!" Unimon banked too, circling back around towards the battle and doing his best to keep himself and Connell in range of the ongoing fight.

By this time Gururumon had managed to get back to his feet, but winced when he moved. Unlike the Chosen though he did not move towards the cavern but did get between it and the remaining conscious birds from the army to discourage them getting any ideas. Swanmon meanwhile had resumed his flight path towards Sabirdramon, headed straight for them and at the last second dropping in the air slightly to get under the black bird who snapped at Swanmon's tail feathers as he tried to gore Swanmon's feathers with his teeth. Swanmon flipped over in mid-air.

" _ **Down Tornado!**_ "

The attack blew Sabirdramon upwards, causing him to rise and flip over. He recovered quickly though and dived at the other bird, screaming in rage. This time he hit Swanmon with both talons, raking red lines across Swanmon's chest and right wing. As they both fell, Swanmon pecked at Sabirdramon's feet forcing him to let go as the Partner nipped and drew blood. As the black bird rose, Swanmon gathered all his strength for one final attack.

" _ **Down Tornado!!**_ "

The blast this time was much more powerful, white feathers and wind sending Sabirdramon high up into the air with a cry. A snap of bone was the last sound heard before Sabirdramon began to disintegrate, forming a Digitama that also fell from the air. His work done Swanmon gave one last grin and then closed his eyes, his form glowing as he shrunk back down. Connell started forward, but already Unimon was on it; timing his flight to make sure they were underneath just in time for Connell to safely catch Penmon, although he had to grip tightly with his legs to save himself coming unseated again. As Unimon landed them on the cliffside, the few remaining birds decided they'd had enough and scattered, hopping up the sides of the mountain or flying away into the air. The others of the group approached as Connell placed his unconscious partner on the stone, and behind him Unimon devolved back down into his Rookie stage, swaying slightly but immediately coming forward to look at Penmon.

"Is he okay?" Kala asked, as they all gathered around.

"Still breathing," was Connell's answer.

"He'll recover," Bakumon said, gently nosing at Penmon. "I think he just put most of what he had left into that last attack. And it worked."

"That it did," Ryuudamon agreed, quietly.

Everyone turned to give the saurian a quick glance, not forgetting that he had vanished but Gururumon coughed softly.

"We have lost most of today, so I think we will be staying another night in this area," he said. "But now that we're all reunited can you please allow me to get you to my Cell? We don't have the time for any more diversions."

"Yeah yeah," Connell muttered. "I'm still not a fan of it but... if Penmon is okay with it then maybe for him I'll play along. For now."

"That's all I ask."


	26. The Reluctant Called

The night was spent inside of the caverns and cliffs they had confronted the bird army inside of. As Penmon was still out cold, Connell and Cerys guided the others to the lair of the Muchomon, now deserted and empty of Digimon. A little exploration showed that the Muchomon's lair was only made of a few rooms, with the one containing the table being the largest and playing the part as a main central area as they decided to spend their extra night there. Come evening the Chosen and their Digimon were mostly in this one room. Jordan and Kala had pulled out a few of the chairs from the table, but right now only Kala was sitting down on one. Ryuudamon had asked to go up to the top cliff to get some air and Jordan had insisted on going along too, unwilling to let his Partner out of his sight now that he was back with them. Cerys was sat at the table, with Bakumon in front of her, pacing the table slightly and casting worried glances at his human who seemed deep in thought. Bearmon had found a training dummy and dragged it from one of the back rooms, now taking out his slight unnerve at the silence on the mass of straw. For like Bakumon before him, Penmon's injuries had not healed with his devolution and had been sufficient enough for Gururumon to tell Connell to keep on eye on the Rookie until he woke. As Connell hadn't yet reappeared from the sleeping room, they were all getting a little more than just concerned.

"Someone should really go... see how he's doing," Kala suggested.

Cerys sighed. "I know, but I don't think he's in the mood right now. Besides, we both know that if it's me I'll just make it worse."

Bakumon paused in his pacing. "Penmon'll heal pretty fast, I just think Gururumon has concerns about how fast." he chewed at his lip. "After all, when I devolved with the injury Fangmon gave to me, I didn't need to use up all my energy to finish him off. Penmon put all he had into that last **_Down Tornado_** , even though he was falling from the sky. I'm just glad I was able to help Connell catch him."

"I guess the training for the Rebellion Cells must be lacking a bit," Bearmon said, delivering another solid blow to the straw dummy. "I didn't have to recover after devolving from Dobermon."

Kala shot him another furious glare, and Bakumon stomped one of his feet on the table.

"I had to as well; are you calling me weak?!"

"Well, you didn't do much in the last few years but wait," Bearmon noted. "I can't really hold you to the same standards I set for myself or would expect from someone who self-titles themselves the "Greatest Rebel of the Digital World" really."

Bakumon huffed, but resumed his pacing as Cerys also turned to give Bearmon a dirty look. Bearmon shrugged off both of the humans' glares and resumed his assault on the training dummy. Kala gave an exasperated groan.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do with you sometimes Bearmon..."

The sound of approaching footsteps from the passage that led further into the cliffside made them all turn to look, all ready to act in case the owner was hostile. When they saw the shape of Gururumon coming towards them though they all relaxed down. The Rebellion Digimon was carrying a net of fruits in his jaws, which he deposited down onto the far end of the table. He looked around the room.

"I see the other two humans and their Digimon aren't ready to join us."

"Connell's still looking in on Penmon, he must be waiting for him to wake up," Kala replied. "Jordan and Ryuudamon though... they've been up there for a long time."

"He must be afraid that Ryuudamon will leave again if he loses sight of him," Bakumon frowned. "He's right at least in assuming that Ryuudamon won't dare to leave while he's being watched. I don't think he knows what he's going to do with himself and if he wants to leave or stay still."

"We went back for him and saved him, isn't that enough to at least make him desire safety in numbers?" Bearmon asked.

"Hard to tell," Bakumon said. "We can only draw conclusions from what we've seen of him since we met up with him after getting back. And that's limited information."

"He always struck me as being very easy to push around," Bearmon said. "At least... while he was still guardian of those younger Digimon and me..." He stopped, gulped slightly and returned his attention to the training dummy.

"Well, at least with more of our Digimon capable of evolution now it's even less likely that Ryuudamon will need to try and evolve again if that's what's worrying him."

Gururumon shook his head. "It still can't be discounted. He will need to evolve if you are to ever complete your task and save this world from the evil presence that has it gripped right now."

 

Even at night the darkness of the Digital World was not true blackness. The sky above them was lit with beams of light that seemed to snake about each other in a giant if fine web, constantly disappearing and reforming. Jordan supposed that if this was truly a Digital World, those light beams could be the state of the wider Internet in their world. It was very big and very active. At least they shed enough light for him to see, even if they were quite far away above him and Ryuudamon.

"Why did you come after me?"

Ryuudamon's question made him look away from the web above and over to the Digimon. Ryuudamon had been very quiet since they had left the forest and the assault from Diatrymon and his group of bird Digimon, and seemed to have only been coming back with them because he was still hurt enough to be vulnerable if he was left alone. That too concerned Jordan. Bakumon had been hurt far worse in his fight with Fangmon and even if devolution back to his smaller stage had also caused the wounds to shrink in relation to his body size, the puncture wounds had healed up far faster than whatever hurt Ryuudamon could have taken from his flight from the battle in the trees.

"Because we couldn't let you just go alone," Jordan replied. "Ryuudamon, where would you have gone?"

"Somewhere, anywhere," Ryuudamon replied, not meeting the man's eyes. "I might have been 'chosen' for this fate a long time ago, but that was a _long time ago_. I've grown up since then, gotten a mind of my own, made my own decision. I never asked to have the weight of the Digital World's problems put on my shoulders, and I don't want them to be."

"But leaving us could have gotten you killed... if we hadn't found you those birds..."

"Maybe that would have been better then," Ryuudamon said, cutting through Jordan's speech and making the human stop in shock.

"You don't really mean that...?"

"Why not?" Ryuudamon's voice took on a slightly hysterical note. "After all, I'm stuck with a fate I don't want and even when I tried to make the best of it I screwed up so badly that it could have meant your blood on my claws! I could have destroyed all hope entirely! What hope is there for me to ever have a normal life anymore??"

Jordan reached over towards the Digimon who was beginning to shake. "Ryuudamon..."

"Why does it need to me be?? Why this particular Ryuudamon? I didn't _want_ to be a hero!!"

"Well, neither did I..."

Ryuudamon blinked as that quiet little sentence stopped him in his tracks, he finally looked over at Jordan, whose eyes he suddenly noticed were very sad. What was it that Jordan had said before?

"Your... brother?" he asked.

"When the Call went out originally there were four people in the room," Jordan said. "Cerys, Connell, Kala... and my brother, Lewis. I was in detention instead, because a teacher had decided I was being too disrespectful with my jokes. I wasn't supposed to be the person here, and if Bakumon belongs with Cerys, Bearmon with Kala and Penmon with Connell; that must mean you were meant to be with Lewis."

There was a pause, then seeing that Ryuudamon wasn't going to say anything Jordan continued.

"When the others found me, it'd been barely a week since... we lost Lewis," Jordan continued, his eyes now away from Ryuudamon and staring out over the wider world in front of them. "They showed up looking for him and eventually I told them where he was. Where we'd buried his body."

"He didn't just regenerate back into a Digitama...?" Ryuudamon asked, surprised.

"Humans don't do that Ryuudamon," Jordan muttered. "Lewis was gone. Forever. And when I followed the others up the hill to explain what had happened suddenly Cerys was lifting a strange creature from the ground and then before I knew it, we were crossing over to this world. They wanted me to replace my brother and had no time to ask if I was alright with it. And now, we've formed the same connection that the others have with each other."

He held up his wrist to let the Device reflect some of the light from above. Ryuudamon blinked at it and then turned away, hanging his head.

"I... I'm scared. What if we fail? What if I try to evolve again and I lose my mind again? What if that time you can't call me back...?" he asked in a small voice. "We weren't supposed to be bonded. How can we form that same connection for evolution that the others did if Clockmon didn't choose you for me?"

"We've already discovered we have one thing in common Ryuudamon," Jordan smiled.

"We do?"

"We're both having to step up for the task despite having not asked to be chosen for the path," Jordan said. "If you want to leave again, I won't stop you. But I will be coming with you. We need to be together in this world, at least until we figure out what it is we can do with certainty."

Ryuudamon was quiet for a moment. "I... I don't think I will go. At least, not right now."

Jordan smiled. "We are safer with the group if you're not ready to evolve."

"Thank you Jordan," Ryuudamon muttered. "For understanding my reluctance."

"Thank you for forgiving me for holding back the truth about your real partner," Jordan returned.

"Nothing to forgive, really."

Ryuudamon felt Jordan's arm around him and shuffled closer and the two sat there on the rocky cliff, at peace with each other, the world and themselves at least for this brief moment. For now an understanding had been reached.

 

The door to the sleeping room opened slowly, and all eyes turned to see Connell walking out. He looked tired but relieved.

"Penmon just woke up," he said. "He's no worse for wear after the fight, he just wants to eat something."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and Bakumon grabbed a piece of fruit in his mouth and began heading towards the sleeping room to deliver it to Penmon, as well as to see for himself how his friend was getting on. Connell walked out to join the meal and taking something that looked very much like an apple sat down. After discovering that the fruit had an outer husk that needed to be split off before he could get to the juicy flesh inside, he noticed that Kala was looking at him with a weird expression. He raised an eyebrow and the woman just gave him a knowing smirk before looking away. Connell gave an irritated huff and focused his attention elsewhere.

He wasn't going to start getting caught up in this like the others. This was just something he had to get past so he could go home and continue a life where it all still made sense. It wasn't as if he was going to start enjoying this adventure after all...

 

_"If you don't stop daydreaming you won't ever amount to anything! Wake up son!"_

_"B-but... Cerys said..."_

_"That girl! She'll end up ruining you, mark my words!"_

 

No. Daydreams and fantasy would never replace cold hard fact and normality. Even if he was supporting Penmon's desire to defeat the evil here, it was all just in pursuit of getting home, his Partner Digimon just a means to an end. Just useful to him. He didn't really like being here...

... did he?


	27. What Motivates Us

It'd been a few hours since they had decided to get some sleep. Jordan and Ryuudamon had eventually returned from their time alone on the cliff, and although neither of them said anything it seemed like something had changed between them. The uneasiness that had existed since their pairing was still there true, but as they took some of the remaining fruits and sat at the table to eat it was clear that whatever had occurred between them in the short time they had been out of sight had lessened some tension between them. Of the worry that had clouded Ryuudamon's face and eyes since his first wild evolution there was little sign now, and even Jordan seemed somewhat more resolved. It was clear to the group now that they wouldn't have to worry about losing Ryuudamon again, at least not for now. Connell had kept quieter, although he tried to cover it up with his typical sour facade. Because they attributed it to his concern over his Partner, everyone made allowances but when Kala suggested that they take the chance to get some rest before morning everyone had readily agreed to it.

Penmon knew little of this though, as he'd not been in the room when most of this had happened and now he was the only one awake. He'd slept enough after his fierce and tiring first battle as Swanmon, and even if the claw marks in his belly and wing were still hurting he itched to move on. To carry on forward to their end goal of saving the Digital World from evil. Yet the experience with the Muchomon... something gnawed away inside of him.

If he hadn't been chosen as a Partner, would he have ended up part of Sabirdramon's group? Been raised to believe as they seemed to that bird Digimon were best? The Muchomon had called him their 'ice brother' and even if they had ended up betraying his trust and being his enemy, he still felt his heart ache for them. For the same evil he'd been fighting against all his life, the target of his life purpose.

_"The Digimon and forces in control now are too powerful, too well established. Soon no resistance will survive anymore, and that includes your precious human partners."_

It troubled him to realise that in all his time about bragging about being the Greatest Rebel of the Digital World and his pride in being a Partner Digimon and an ultimate force for goodness and hope... that he'd never once considered that evil might have a very relatable face and reasoning.

Now what did he do?

He sat up in the bed he'd been resting on, stretching out his wings and wincing slightly as the injured one reminded him of the damage it'd taken. He'd decided he couldn't sleep, so he might as well go up to the cliff top to get some air. He slipped down to the floor and slowly waddled his way towards the entrance to the central room, rubbing an eye with his good wing.

"Can't sleep?"

Penmon jumped at the voice, unaware that anyone else had actually been awake. He saw the shadow in the central room off in the corner and realised it was Bearmon, resting from the punchbag training he'd been up to earlier in the evening and probably on watch. Penmon saw the other Digimon smirk and knew that the bear cub had saw him flinch, so he looked away.

"None of your business."

"I'd say it was, now we're on the same side," Bearmon replied.

Penmon scowled. "We might be technically, but you and I are still very different Digimon."

"You don't trust me still," Bearmon said, plainly stating the fact. "I suppose that's understandable, it's only been a few days. But that's enough time to start to learn things outside of our previous little comfort zones."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know the full story, but I heard enough at the evening meal," Bearmon said. "The same Muchomon who attacked Connell and Cerys and kidnapped Bakumon wanted you to join up with Sabirdramon's group, didn't they?"

"They clearly didn't know who they were talking to!" and Penmon puffed up his chest, wincing slightly as the skin stretched across the mostly healed scratches. "I, the Greatest Rebel of the Digital World would never turn my back upon it for any reason! Unlike some."

"Give it a rest," Bearmon snarled, as the jab hit home. "Rebellion Digimon; you all act so superior all the time. You know nothing of the other side."

"As a Partner I was destined to fight against the evils trying to take this world," Penmon said. "As were you!"

"News flash flipper-foot, the evil has taken the Digital World already," Bearmon said, getting to his feet. "And no one Digimon has been left unaffected by it. You submit or you get reformatted. Simple as."

"The Rebellion chose neither, we are brave enough to stand against evil even now!" Penmon declared, as Bearmon and he closed the gap, glaring at each other.

Bearmon growled. "Some of us weren't that lucky! Some of us weren't left to run freely to do what they wanted! Some of us had no choice but to do what we did for our survival!"

There was a second of silence, then Bearmon clenched his teeth together angrily. He turned away from Penmon, who was still looking at him but now with confusion and curiosity. This was the Bearmon he knew yes; angry and cold. But what he'd said just then... until they'd met again as Rookies, Penmon realised he had no idea what his old enemy and current rival had actually lived through after he'd disappeared.

"Bearmon... wh-what happened to you... after you-?"

"Not now, I'm too tired," Bearmon said, his voice sounding oddly suppressed.

"B-but..."

"Go to bed Penmon, you have injuries to recover from," Bearmon muttered. "I am not covering for you if you're not healed tomorrow."

They stood there in silence for a moment, Penmon trying to figure out if he could push his luck by insisting that Bearmon answer his question. He eventually decided to drop it and sighed.

"I guess we all went through some real dark things after we got split up, didn't we?"

Bearmon didn't answer, didn't turn around. As he began to pummel the dummy again, Penmon decided that he ought to do as his fellow Partner had suggested and go back to sleep. Bearmon waited until he heard the door close before he speared the straw with his claws, his entire body shaking with the tension. Although he wouldn't admit it to even himself, he knew that the sting in his eyes was that of the sadness that Wanyamon had never been allowed to feel...

 

_"Someone of your fierce spirit... it would be a shame to see it go to waste down here."_

 

The sadness he had been trained not to feel. Couldn't allow himself to feel if he wanted to survive.

 

_"You have a choice Wanyamon..."_

 

Bearmon pulled his fist out and struck hard with the other. The dummy slammed against the wall and fell into two pieces on the floor as the Rookie bit his lip to try and hold back the tide. As he'd been trained to do since he was small; just too small...

Penmon was probably the only one who heard Bearmon finally lose some of his grip on that ingrained emotional coldness, and in his sleep-daze he swore that he must be imagining it. Bearmon, emotional? No. The 'mon was all soldier, all cold, all focus...

Still, like the Muchomon he did have to wonder if that was the true story after all.

 

The morning came and with it some more normality. Even if they were a bit more subdued, Bearmon ate in silence quickly and efficiently and so Penmon must have imagined what he heard, right? Hell, maybe even their encounter last night was all a dream, brought on by Penmon's own thoughts about the Muchomon. He couldn't understand them and he wouldn't be able to understand what made Bearmon tick in one night, or maybe even ever.

"Which way are we headed?" Kala asked Gururumon, breaking the silence of their morning meal.

"We must leave these caverns and go around," the Champion replied. "We've taken a much bigger diversion then I wanted to... the Rebellion must be wondering if something has happened to us."

"If they want us in one piece, they can wait," Connell snorted. "I don't know about you, but in a world where so many other creatures want us dead I'd rather take time than hurry along."

"For once, I agree," Cerys said. "Shame we can't get a message to them before us, so they know."

Gururumon shook his head. "Even if we could, we can't take the chance of it being intercepted along the way. We do not need to let them know where we're going."

The group as one nodded to this, acknowledging that after so much being split up they didn't really need much more trouble right now. Suddenly Ryuudamon spun, his attention focused on the passageway leading to the split where first Penmon then Bakumon had been kidnapped by the Muchomon. He squinted his eyes at the darkness, suspiciously as Bakumon noticed what he was doing and scented the air. His eyes flew open in alarm as something reached his nose.

"We have company!"

Before everyone could react, two red blurs shot first from the passageway. Everyone as one leapt away from the table, as two of the Muchomon landed on it, their _**Tropical Beak**_ attacks missing by a mile. The two of them readied themselves for more fighting as the five other Digimon all prepared for a fight too, the humans still picking themselves up from the floor after the surprise. They quickly backed up against the wall as the seven monsters all stared each other down, waiting for the other side to make a move.

"What a silly move," Gururumon snarled at them. "Two Muchomon against all of us? You're vastly outnumbered!"

"We don't care!" one of the Muchomon replied, flapping a little. "We're loyal to Sabirdramon's ideals! Even if they're gone, we won't give in! We can't give in!"

"Then you will die."

"Wait a moment," Ryuudamon said, glancing quickly at Gururumon to stop his advance. "What do you mean 'can't'?"

"It's too late," the other Muchomon said, his voice a little more unsure than his friend. "We fight or..." At this point his friend slapped him and he fell silent, trembling slightly.

"Or...?" Ryuudamon prompted.

"Or someone else on their 'side' will find them and kill them instead," Bearmon muttered, lowering his paws but not relaxing entirely. "Their choice right now is to go down fighting us or run away and be hunted. Either way, they will die..."

There was a pause as everyone absorbed the meaning of his words, before Jordan finally stepped forward behind his Partner and addressed the Muchomon. "Is that true?"

"No!" snapped the first Muchomon, flapping indignantly. "I serve because I want to! Because it is glorious to work for such ends and to maintain order for the good of our masters!"

"You're lying."

Everyone suddenly looked at Penmon, as he spoke in a small, quiet voice. He stepped forward from the other Digimon towards the other two Bird Digimon, who both tensed up ready to attack. Penmon stopped, nervously but continued.

"You're lying," he said again. "I can tell... your body language gives it away. As your ice brother, I know you're lying."

"You don't know anything!"

The first Muchomon launched himself at Penmon, beak forward. Penmon dodged to one side and quickly slapped down the other Digimon with a swift _**Endless Slap**_ to the back of his head. He stepped away as the Muchomon rolled over and glared at him.

"Why are you hesitating? Kill me!"

"I don't want to," Penmon replied, stunning himself as he spoke those words. "You're not a bad Digimon really, are you?"

"Shut up! SHUT UP!"

Muchomon leapt up again, ready to attack again. This time he didn't even get to put one foot forward before a glowing attack shot past Penmon's head from behind and hit the Muchomon in the face, throwing him back. Penmon turned around to see that the second Muchomon had attacked his former friend. Gururumon's claws made short work of the first Muchomon before he got up a third time.

"I... thank you..." Penmon managed, stunned.

"I... I don't want to do it anymore..." the Muchomon said, sagging on the table and sitting down. "I don't want to live in fear, I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. I'm scared... don't kill me please."

Gururumon snarled, but at that point the humans walked forward and he paused.

"We can't trust them," he growled.

"He helped Penmon," Cerys said, "And we're not going to execute someone pleading for their lives."

Muchomon was now sitting on the table, trembling and teary-eyed as the four Partner Digimon approached him. The red bird shrunk away as first Bearmon, then Ryuudamon offered their paws to the Rookie.

"You don't have to be scared anymore," Ryuudamon said, his voice gentle as he made it for younger Digimon. "We won't hurt you."

"As long as you really mean what you say," Bearmon added.

Muchomon flinched and Bearmon was nudged by Bakumon, and he sighed. "I only mean that as someone who has been through the same thing too. If you want to redeem yourself, it can be done. Not easily but..."

"The world's a dangerous place," Penmon added, before offering his wing too. "So we need everyone we can to help us fight back against those who make it dangerous."

"B-but... I could die," Muchomon muttered.

"Didn't you think you were going to when you came in here anyway?" Bakumon asked, as he stood up and rested his legs on the table to look over the top. "If death is inevitable anyway, wouldn't you rather die fighting to fix this world rather than keep it broken...?"

Muchomon gave a hiccup, and then rubbed at his face with his wings. "I... I don't want to die... but I don't want to make Digimon miserable anymore. I don't want to be bad."

"You aren't bad," Penmon said, catching Bearmon's eye for a moment before continuing. "You just did what you had to, in order to survive."

"It's a lot to ask of you," Ryuudamon said. "To fight back even when you're... so scared. I know."

"I am," Muchomon agreed, before wiping his eyes. "But... I want to do better. I can be brave, for you. Because of you all..." And he looked past the Partners to the four humans. "I'm not very strong, but Digimon all over fell into apathy and despair because the Chosen didn't come... only you're here now. So, maybe I have a reason to be brave. To tell Digimon that the humans are here, at last." He stood again and slapped his chest. "I'll tell them, that they don't have to be afraid anymore. That I can do!"

"Good," Kala said, with a relieved and slightly amused grin.

Gururumon snorted, but turned away. "Go now, before I consider this all a big mistake to let you go."

Muchomon nodded. "I won't let you down, in trusting me enough to let me go. I'll make sure they know. Hope has arrived, and the true fight starts now." He stopped and shivered nervously. "I can do this."

With that, he leapt off the table and took off towards the passage again, running out of sight. After a second everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that went smoother than it could have," Jordan said.

"Do not make me regret that," Gururumon muttered. "Now come on, we need to move on."

Everyone nodded at him, and began to follow his exit. As they peeled away from the table, Bearmon poked Penmon.

"What?" Penmon asked.

"Seems you can look beyond all you've known before," Bearmon said, before giving a slight smile. "Maybe there's hope for you yet, o Greatest Rebel."

Penmon looked away. "I don't need your approval, soldier."

But he looked back at Bearmon and smiled a little bit back, before he ran ahead to catch up with Connell. Bearmon shook his head slightly.

"Typical."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Wow the second half of this chapter was hard to find.)


	28. Prisoners

A long time ago Gear Town had been quite a nice place to live. Even if the buildings crowded together and natural light sometimes had trouble penetrating down to the surface, the citizens of Gear Town had worked together since the first settlement of the area to make it a pleasant place for all Digimon to live, not just those who were machine or loved the muck and junk that big settlements could bring. The narrow surface streets were often packed with stalls of Digimon plying trade, selling whatever they had brought for sale or else offering services that few of them ever skimped on. For a seller who tried to cheat anyone in Gear Town was often quickly identified and would have to make reparations to the swindled or would have to leave Gear Town for good. Above walkways crossed between the buildings, all hung with lighting that would illuminate those streets and walkways below it. Food was grown within special hydroponic buildings set aside for the task, or traded from Digimon who would venture into the town with produce to sell and trade. It wasn't uncommon though for Digimon who lived together to have their own little hydroponic patch in the smallest room of their dwelling, to provide a base amount of meals.

Yes, Gear Town was a magnificent triumph of like-minded Digimon and co-operation. Even when the fighting broke out in the Digital World, Gear Town did not worry too much at first. When the fighting began to spread though, meetings were called and the town prepared itself for an oncoming siege. Every Digimon who lived in Gear Town were united in their desire to not let outside malicious forces take their homes and upset the harmony they had built.

In the end it took six years for Gear Town to finally be taken, their forces worn down over time until there was just no force uninjured enough to stop the oncoming conquerers. But even so, in Gear Town the former residents had not lost their pride, their hope. Sure, the Call was unanswered and the humans never coming, but who cared about the wider Digital World? All they wanted was their home back.

Two years had twisted the Town though, with large high walls and fences surrounding the buildings and heavy gates enclosing it off. Outside these walls other buildings had been quickly constructed for occupying forces, their styles completely clashing with those on the inside of the wall. Windows crashed and doors torn off were replaced with heavy iron and bars, except in the case of a few where occupying forces made their bed for the night.

For in this new Digital World, Gear Town was now nothing more than a series of prison buildings and jails to hold rebels and dissidants until execution or torture. Gear Town had become Town Lockup, a number of its lower-level cells holding the former residents of the once welcoming town.

But as I said before, their fight hadn't quite died off yet...

 

The sound of running echoed down the surface-level street that had once hosted many sellers, stalls still lined the sides but all in disrepair or even completely destroyed. The lights that once hung from walkways were long since gone, but that worked to their favour right now. The alarm still hadn't been sounded and the majority of them knew the streets like the backs of their paws, claws or various other frontal limbs. Maybe they would escape this time, maybe not; but they had a head start and that was a bonus straight away.

"Where is it?"

"It should be down this side street. Last time they led me past, they still hadn't fitted the door so we might be able to get over the wall from the third floor."

The little group managed to reach the door they were headed to just as someone from where they'd escaped finally got their act together enough to sound one of the alarms that would echo through the tall buildings of Town Lockup. As it was, it came a few seconds too late for the guards posted at the entrance of their destination to react. Attacks knocked them back and feet trampled over them as the band of escapees rushed through the entrance hall to a former apartment building and through into the stairwell to climb to the third floor and reach the walkway. Behind them they heard the stunned guards beginning to give chase. A well-aimed electrical attack hit one of their number and the unlucky young Digimon collapsed on the stairs. The others kept going, except one who stopped briefly to look back, concern in his red eyes.

"No, keep... going!" the fallen one cried to him. "You agreed, as did we all! You knew this could happen!"

The Digimon with the red eyes hesitated, before reluctantly nodding and continuing after the others, footsteps clanking against the stairs. He tried not to hear the yell as his fallen friend was trampled over by their pursuers. He reached the back of the group as they faltered slightly, another guard group appearing from ahead of them. They were at the second floor corner now and the head of their group shouted back to keep going. They thundered forward as the guards ahead charged their attacks.

" ** _Twinkle Beam!_** "

The monster with the red eyes closed them, hurried on ahead, ducking his head down. He tried so hard not to hear the screams, and opened his eyes just in time to sidestep one of the guards and continue to pelt after the leader of their little jailbreak. Fortunately Mechanorimon were not known for being particularly agile, so they could get past them to the stairs up to the third floor. He kept his eyes on their leader ahead of him as the four-legged Champion thundered forwards up a stairway only barely big enough to fit his body through. There did not seem to be anyone waiting on the third floor and the charging Champion smashed through a thin metal door to lead them down a corridor that had once been between many apartments. All were now cells, packed with Digimon prisoners. A few cheered them as they sprinted through, but at the same time he could see how so many of them shrunk away, terrified. A jailbreak, successful or not would mean that the guards would be in a terrible mood and those still trapped here would pay that price.

But he had to get out. He had to escape. They were waiting for him... he hoped.

"One more door!"

Another scrape of metal signalled the end of another door and now they were on that walkway. But ahead the leader paused and the lights of many more Mechanorimon eyes became visible.

" ** _Twinkle Beam!_** "

As the Champion took the brunt on his helmeted head and sunk to the ground, the monster with the red eyes rushed forward.

"Ankylomon! A-are you...?"

"I'll live," the Champion groaned. "But you, we need to get you over the wall..."

He looked to where the wall was, a short hop from their walkway. But the Mechanorimon were closing in now and...

"I can't just leave you, and the others..."

"Kokuwamon... you are the only other one."

Kokuwamon jolted and then looked behind him finally, realising Ankylomon was right. All the others had been hit before they had reached the walkway. They were the only two that had made it this far and now Ankylomon was in no state to continue. He clenched his claw.

"If... if only I could evolve...!"

"Don't fret about that now, hold onto my tail," Ankylomon said. "We need to get you out of here at least. You've got someone waiting for you on the other side, right?"

"Hopefully. It has been a long time..."

Kokuwamon could see the Mechanorimon lifting their arms for another attack so ran to grab Ankylomon's tail, holding on tightly as he was lifted into the air with it. Then Ankylomon swung him in the direction of the wall...

" ** _Tail Hammer!_** "

" ** _Twinkle Beam!_** "

 

"Not a lot to see out here is there?"

Gururumon had finally gotten them back onto the route he'd been trying to get them to follow since that evening they had met the Pyocomon. They'd made some good progress since they'd set off and at last the Rebellion Champion seemed satisfied that they were on the move, continuing forward at a brisk but not tiring pace as the Chosen and their Partners trailed behind him. The landscape they were in was a stark contrast to the forest, bare of much except the odd large stone here and there. The ground was dry and the cliffs that had sheltered Sabirdramon and his army of bird Digimon were way off in the distance now, forming a line of sheer rocky walls around the area. It really was kind of bland.

"At least the sky's nice to look at," Jordan said, as he looked up and followed the passage of a light beam in the web above, even if it was fainter in the light of day.

The others looked up too, following their own light beam. Kala eventually gave voice to a question on her mind and possibly the minds of them all.

"So, once we reach this new Rebellion base, what do we do then?"

"I suppose wait for this flying escort," Cerys answered, with a frown.

"Until then, we might be stuck inside," Bakumon said. "Given how Gururumon acts... what if they don't let us go out once we're inside?"

"Prisoners by another name," Bearmon snorted.

"We could maybe spend that time bringing the humans up to speed on our world though," Penmon suggested. "However... I must admit that sitting inside and waiting is not really my style either."

"Usually I would be happy to, but..." Ryuudamon hesitated for a second. "Jordan and I need to find an understanding." And he paused to look at Jordan, giving the man acknowledgement, "Somehow I feel it isn't to be found sat inside of a safehouse. Even if the idea of it sounds very tempting to me..."

"So why are we continuing to follow Gururumon?" Connell asked, a little irritated.

"Because it's for your own good."

They all flinched and guiltily looked forward to where Gururumon was looking back at them. They hadn't realised they could be overheard.

"I know you're eager to get to work, but you have few allies in this world anymore," he muttered. "Let us help you, and let us protect you until you're better equipped to save this world."

"Help we'll accept," Cerys said. "But do understand that we're hardly going to learn about how to rescue everyone waiting for others and then being deployed like weapons."

"It is not my decision to make, I am only here to escort you back," Gururumon replied. "Now, come on. If we hurry we can make it to the other side of the wasteland before nightfall."

He turned back around and carried on, but Connell started forward towards him, eyes blazing and fist clenched. Jordan grabbed onto one arm to stop him, and Penmon and Ryuudamon the other.

"Don't," the other man warned his old friend, his voice low. "Once we get to the base we can argue for some freedom, and if it comes to it... we'll leave."

"Will we be able to?" Connell demanded, his voice also quiet.

Jordan's only answer to the question was a shrug, one that the women also gave. Connell wrenched his arms free with a growl and then stopped, turning to his Partner who looked surprised.

"Penmon, evolve to Swanmon now."

"I... pardon?" Penmon squawked, as Gururumon noticed the stoppage and turned to see what was the matter.

"You heard me, evolve to Swanmon so we can fly out of this stupid wasteland and away from all this!"

"I... I'm not sure I can right now..." Penmon said, looking away. "I'm a bit tired and..."

"What's going on back there?" Gururumon demanded.

"Evolve!" Connell said, as he lunged forward and grabbed his Partner's chest feathers to haul him up. "Isn't that what you're supposed to be able to do to protect us or something? Am I wrong?"

"N-no..." Penmon choked, as he wriggled in his human's grasp.

"Connell, you're hurting him!" Kala cried.

"Don't you want to save this world? We're not going to get it done if we let ourselves get taken to this place," Connell said, shaking the Rookie. "Evolve to Swanmon now and let's go!"

"Connell, he's not recovered from last time!" Jordan ran forward to try and get the man to let go of Penmon. "He needs to recover!"

Connell shoved the other man away, and Jordan went stumbling to the ground. Gururumon had turned around fully now and was coming back.

"What are you doing? We need to get moving!"

"No, _you_ need to stop telling us to come with you to be controlled!" Connell said to the Rebellion monster. "Shut up in a hidden base, only let out to attack what you want us to? As I told you before, we are _not_ your weapons in this war! I refuse!"

Gururumon snarled. "Enough! You must come with me, and if you won't come... well, there is more than one way to skin a Tailmon..."

The large wolf suddenly bounded forwards towards the group, and they scattered as Gururumon landed. He lashed out a paw and Connell was buffeted across the ground, Penmon rolling free of his partner as the man tumbled across the ground. Gururumon ran forward towards Connell as the man rolled to one side to avoid another blow from the paw. In the background Kala started to yell and Jordan got back to his own feet, stumbling forward as he tried to run and catch Gururumon's tail to distract him. Connell felt his side hit a rock and noticed another blow coming with little time for him to avoid. This time it was Gururumon's thin tail that hit him, lashing against his body like a whip. He cried out, before biting down on it. He wouldn't scream, he wouldn't let Gururumon know that he was hurting.

"I apologise, but I think it is time for you to sleep a little while before we arrive," the Champion said. "Goodnight."

His paw flew forward again and Connell closed his eyes, tensing for the blow that would surely knock him unconscious...

**Penmon Shinka!**

**Swanmon!**

Suddenly a shadow fell over him and Connell heard the claws screech across armour. He opened his eyes to see that Penmon had evolved and was now shielding him, wings out from Gururumon's assault. All the same, despite evolution Connell could see that Swanmon was trembling, and barely able to stand up.

"St-stand down Rebellion m-member," he struggled out. "Our mission is to pr-protect. Not harm... if we do, a-are we any better than those we fight against?"

Gururumon stared at the other Digimon for a long moment before snorting, and walking away, eyes cast downwards.

"Let's go."

Swanmon nodded, and then drastically crumpled to the floor. Connell watched as the large form sank down into a glowing mass that seemed to shrink down smaller, much smaller than last time until finally the glow dimmed to reveal a small yellow ball of feathers lying on its side. The head was topped with a long red feather plume and two more red feathers formed eyebrows above closed tiny eyes. The Digimon also had two tiny wings and a small beak. Connell heard Bakumon walking forward to see and then heard the other Digimon's squeak of alarm.

"Chicchimon!" he said. "Penmon must have been more hurt than we realised! He used up so much energy he regressed!"

Ryuudamon's footfalls joined Bakumon's but neither approached the scene. Connell slowly pulled himself forward and scooped up the small feather ball. A hand was offered to him and he saw that Jordan was standing before him.

"We're in some real shit aren't we?" he asked.

Connell gently pushed the offered hand away and stood up. He looked down at Chicchimon and sighed.

"I didn't mean to..." he started quietly than shook his head. "I knew that he could still evolve. Just wish Gururumon hadn't hurt him like that."

"Connell...?"

"We have to get this finished," Connell said, as he began walking after Gururumon. "All this following around and being controlled is just making this take too long. I want to go home."

He ignored the shocked expressions on the faces of the other three, the troubled ones on the faces of Bakumon and Ryuudamon. He wanted to go home, was that so wrong? Surely it was what they all wanted, because in order to do so it meant they had to save this world from whatever threat had it under its control. They should understand him.

As Chicchimon shifted slightly against his chest in his semi-conscious state though, Connell felt that maybe he didn't fully understand himself right now.


	29. Tough Love?

The next day they finally reached the base of Gururumon's Rebellion Cell. It wasn't very impressive from the outside honestly. A derelict building that resembled a long abandoned and time-worn petrol station, complete with a rusted out shell of what appeared to be a late 1950s American car parked next to a missing pump. The group paused as Gururumon gave a long weary sigh.

"Finally, we're here," he muttered. "If I had known this assignment would be so much trouble..."

"You can't say you didn't reasonably expect us to be attacked by enemies on the way?" Bearmon asked, incredulous.

"That I saw coming, but I did not see the difficulties I would have with you as a group," Gururumon replied. "Let us get underground before we're seen..."

If he saw the dirty look Connell was giving him, he ignored it as he walked forward to open the entrance. Bakumon tilted his head.

"He didn't expect any of us to have our own opinions on this?"

"It's all for "our own good" after all," Bearmon said, miming air quotes into the air sarcastically. "This is why I could never stand Rebellion Digimon..."

"As I know," Chicchimon muttered at his rival.

Chicchimon had come to a few minutes after the incident in the wasteland earlier. So far, neither he or Connell had broached the subject of just what had happened there and the others had awkwardly avoided it too. They were all a bit surprised at how Connell had manhandled his Partner and then seemingly only cared that the Digimon had 'lied' about not being able to evolve again. Cerys could only think that the years after they'd had that last sour encounter had really done a number on her former best friend. Only she found herself not all that surprised at how he had turned out, and from the glances Kala and Jordan had traded with her neither were they. He had always been a little bit grumpy, even as a child...

Right now Connell took out a little bit of his frustration by gently prodding his fuming Partner in the side. "Don't start fighting now. For god's sake..."

Chicchimon gave a squawk of protest and squirmed in his human partner's arms, but Connell didn't persist in the poke and removed his hand from the bird-ball's fluffy side. The relative silence was then broken by a rumble that grew at a rapid pace. As the eight looked around, all on alert for potential dangers, Gururumon returned to them.

"Our ride down will be here soon."

Suddenly a massive cloud of dirt and rock erupted from the ground to their left. Bakumon and Bearmon immediately ran to place themselves between it and the group, Ryuudamon choosing instead to stick with the group although he too prepared for a fight. Chicchimon didn't move much, but Connell could feel him puffing up angrily. The dust of the cloud began to settle and a large form slowly became visible within it. They heard a tsk.

"You didn't warn them that I was coming?"

"I did but you have to admit, that they are on alert so quickly means they've begun to adapt well to the situation," Gururumon said to the shape.

"Mmmm, true true."

A large three-clawed paw stepped forward out of the dust, light coloured fur covering the main part and the claws dark grey and conical. A large drill-like nose followed, connected to a large strong body covered in more of the light coloured fur underneath and purple fur on top. As the Digimon took in the four pairs with Gururumon he tiled his head slightly, pale eyes blinking.

"... Doesn't the Call usually bring much smaller humans to our world?" he asked. "Mmmmm, you're taller than I had imagined you would be..."

"Well, they were late to answer," Gururumon said, walking forward to greet the other Digimon. "And the trouble they caused me along the way made us even later..."

The drill-faced Digimon considered the group again. "Mmmm, they don't look as if they'd cause you much trouble... you must be getting old Gururumon."

Gururumon snarled at the other Digimon and it backed off, but it was clear that this other Rebellion monster who had emerged from underground was merely teasing Gururumon and was enjoying it thoroughly. He eventually put one of his front paws up to ward Gururumon off.

"Now now, you must get underground and let them know you're back safely," he said. "I can take care of these eight if you're that tired of taking care of them."

Gururumon hesitated. "But... my task..."

"Is completed now you're here!" the other monster said. "Go, get some rest. I know well enough where to take them, you know I do!"

For a moment it seemed like the wolf Digimon was going to refuse, but eventually he sighed and began to walk beyond his friend. "They're all yours Drimogemon."

Gururumon vanished from view and they faintly heard the sound of claws sliding down a dirt slope. Drimogemon waited until the sound had died away before he shook his head, tsking again.

"Mmm, don't mind him," he said to the eight. "I can assure you not all of us here are such..."

"Grumps?" Kala suggested.

"Sticks in the mud?" Bakumon added.

Drimogemon gave a snort of mirth. "Those will do. We are glad to have you finally here though, we hoped you would get here safely. Gururumon is reliable even if very single-minded to his assigned duties. Mmmm, by the way I am Drimogemon, our base's gatekeeper."

"Bakumon!" Bakumon cried, before anyone else could introduce themselves. "My human is Cerys, nice to meet you!"

Cerys walked forward and gently nudged the eager Rookie to get his attention. "Shouldn't we maybe be introducing ourselves somewhere not in the open?"

"Oh you're right!" Drimogemon said. "Mmm, this way then. I will close the tunnel behind us and the rest of you can introduce yourselves as we go down to the main base."

Bakumon and Cerys went first, plunging down the tunnel Drimogemon had left behind him which although steep fortunately didn't seem unassailable. The others followed on behind, with Drimogemon bringing up the rear and closing up the tunnel behind him. The tunnel widened a little way down which allowed the large mole Digimon to move forward and join with the main group as they begun to bunch up, unconsciously seeking the comfort that came from familiar people in new surroundings.

"Mmm, so?"

"Kala," Kala supplied first. "My Partner is Bearmon there." And she pointed to the Rookie who had taken up a position ahead of her in the group.

"I'm... Ryuudamon," Ryuudamon said, a little of the tension he carried with him gone. "I've bonded with Jordan... it's nice to be back underground and safer again."

Jordan raised a hand in greeting to Drimogemon, his pace matching that of his Partner to keep alongside him.

There was a silence and eyes turned to Connell, who seemed to be avoiding eye contact with their escort. Eventually he realised that everyone was expecting him to speak and he gave an irritated huff.

"Connell."

"And I'm Penm- Chicchimon!" Chicchimon supplied from the man's arms. "The Greatest Rebel of the Digital World!"

"Mmm, really?" Drimogemon asked, genuinely interested.

"No he isn't," Bearmon said. "He gave himself that title years ago to boost his ego. Don't believe his boasting."

"I'll show you ego!" Chicchimon cried, and before Connell could realise what was happening the little In-Training had leapt from his arms.

Either Bearmon missed this or just didn't expect his rival to keep going in his smaller form, but Chicchimon was able to smash into the bear cub's back, sending the two of them rolling down the tunnel and out of sight. The group paused for a second to absorb this development, before they all began to run down the tunnel to follow them.

"Bearmon! Are you okay?" Kala shouted.

"Chicchimon, are you...? It's fucking dangerous to attack someone on a slope!" Connell cried.

The way ahead was pretty dark, but Drimogemon led the way down a pretty smooth dirt slope until they reached a part where it levelled off somewhat and the tunnel continued down in a much narrower tunnel. The two Partners had apparently rolled down into one of the walls beside it to judge by the impact marks in the dirt, and now Chicchimon was being held down to the ground squawking by Bearmon's hind paw. Chicchimon flapped indignantly, but Bearmon seemed unflustered although there was a hint of a grin on his face.

"Let him up!" Kala scolded.

Bearmon did as she asked and Chicchimon rolled forward, the rookie stepped over him and rejoined the group.

"I've always wanted to do that."

Chicchimon had recovered behind him and had tried to attack again, but Connell had run forward and grabbed him again and was now holding his squirming Partner to stop him breaking free.

"Let me go! I won't stand for such humiliation!" Chicchimon shouted furiously.

"I won't so stay still!" Connell hissed at him. "Stop acting like such a child!"

"Mmmm, maybe we should continue inside," Drimogemon said, awkwardly. "The head of the base is sure to want to meet you all, and you should at least know where we're going to bunk you down for the nights you are with us."

"Yes, that'd be great," Jordan said, with a hint of relief as they all tried not to look at Connell's struggle with Chicchimon.

Drimogemon turned to a side passage a little way up the slope that they had run past and began to squeeze his way down it, with the majority of the others following him. Before she entered it though, Kala turned back to Connell and Chicchimon.

"We'll be just down here okay?" she asked. "Catch up when you've calmed him down..."

She vanished from sight and after a few seconds Connell finally let go of Chicchimon, who bounced off the soft dirt before turning to him with a furious expression on his face.

"Why did you stop me? Bearmon had it coming."

"He antagonises you on purpose," Connell sighed. "You shouldn't take the bait so easily."

"I will not be beat down by the likes of that one!" Chicchimon said, before straightening up as much as his smaller form would allow. "I'm the Greatest Rebel of the Digital World and he will not get the better of me!"

Connell gave an exasperated groan at the mention of the title. "Really? The 'Greatest Rebel'? Then fucking well act like it!"

Chicchimon puffed up angrily but didn't say anything, Connell had turned his head away and didn't look at his Partner. He had to learn not to take the bait from Bearmon. Honestly...

"At least I'm not the one so angry about being here that he makes everyone else uncomfortable! I hate you!"

Connell flinched slightly as the insult hit home, but as he turned back to reply Chicchimon had already run off again, this time down the narrow down sloping passage. He paused for a second, wondering if he should follow then decided not to. Screw him, what did he know? If the others were uncomfortable around him, only served them right for dragging him along to this world in the first place, not to mention the fact that they were now inside of a base that they wouldn't be allowed to leave until they had their next restrictive escort to take them to what would probably be the most populated and well-guarded Rebellion base yet - and then they'd never be able to get out.

As for his Partner hating him? Well that didn't matter. According to this Call nonsense they were destined to be together and work together, so whether or not they got on they'd have to stay together and eventually save this god forsaken world of monsters and weirdness so he could finally just go home at last. Really, that was all he wanted - to get out of here and go home to his own bed and his regular life.

He wasn't curious. He wasn't having fun. He was miserable. He was the only one of the four of the humans acting like an adult should do with all this rubbish that should stay inside of a storybook where it belonged! A Call to destiny indeed. It might be happening, it might be reality but it was garbage. It didn't happen in real life...

Still, even if he could deny all that, he couldn't deny that he'd felt a tiny pang of guilt when he realised Chicchimon's last words had been delivered whilst crying. Even more so because he knew what that all felt like himself...

 

_"You're a fucking young adult! Stop being an idiot and act like it!"_

 

... Yup. He should really stop being such an idiot. Fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Petrol station" = "Gas station".
> 
> Hey I'm British, I'll use the terms I grew up with. :D


	30. The New Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Oh wow, been a while hasn't it?
> 
> Life kind of took me away from writing, as did a loss of story thread. I found it again and my beta reader helped me get this chapter ship-shape. As well as the other 29. I'll be slowly replacing those but they're not a lot different though so no big story changes!)

_This park had been his favourite place once._

_He had come here at five years of age all starry-eyed and full of wonder. Everything had seemed so big, so fresh and so new. He had climbed the nets slowly while his mother cheered him on, his young feet unsteadily finding purchase and his elation upon reaching the top had only increased when he'd looked back and seen her clapping for him, her face full of light and happiness. The days he'd spent there for the next two years when he could go out with his mother were some of the best he'd ever had..._

_..._

_Yet nostalgia was a bitch wasn't it? He stood here now and it didn't look as he had remembered. The paint which had once been so new, so vibrant was chipped and worn. Vulgar words and graffiti covered the slide and the swings were rusty, creaking slowly as they blew in the wind - if they weren't completely broken off entirely that is. While once it had been filled with happy parents and their children, now only gangs of kids hung around smoking and cackling at some whispered joke. The bin was still smoking from whatever they'd set alight before he'd gotten here._

_It was devastating to him, to have his memories tainted like this. But it proved the point that he had been trying to make._

_"Nothing good lasts forever Connell. The sooner you realise that, the better you'll get on in life..."_

_Even something so pure would still over time become rotten and corrupted, twisted and misshapen. It was inevitable._

_"She did you wrong by having you believe in dreams... no good ever comes from believing in a dream. Dreams all too easily crumble..."_

_No point in holding onto a dream, onto wonder really. In the end it would fade away, and reveal the ugly truth beneath. The stark, blunt reality of what life really was._

_He'd tried to hold onto them when she'd left them two years ago, but maybe he shouldn't have after all. What had believing in his dreams ever gotten him except pain and sadness?_

_His father was right._

 

Chicchimon didn't know where he was going, other than away. He didn't really know if he cared any more.

_I should have kept running..._

He recalled that a similar incident like this had happened before, just a few days ago. Connell had pushed him too far and he'd run off, only to find himself captured by the Muchomon. He'd run off before that even, when Gotsumon and the other Rebellion Digimon had refused to help him fight back to rescue Ryuudamon when he was captured. It hadn't been the first time even then that he'd left when the ones he was supposed to count on refused to co-operate.

_No one will ever help me! No one will do anything, so I must!_

All his life he had hung on and waited for his human to arrive so that he could be the savior he knew he had been born to be to his world. It was what he had been born for, and so he had trained, he had found other rebels and fought for them but never stayed long until Gotsumon and his group had volunteered to take him into their Cell after witnessing his battle performance on their first encounter. Back then, they'd all hung on his every word... they'd known he was the Partner, the one remaining hope of the Digital World. And yet, he hadn't even noticed when they had begun to doubt that, never realised that they'd stopped believing him until that first time they'd refused to help him on a raid.

_"F-Fine... if you won't help me, I'll do it myself!"_

Of course, that had ended in his capture and first ever encounter with the army commander Bearmon, who became his bitter rival. He'd escaped Bearmon and his Gazimon troops that time, but never told the rest of the Rebellion Cell what had happened to him that day. He put it down to bad luck and intensified his training rituals, swearing that when his human came he would be ready to work with them and save this world.

Only...

_"We have to get this finished... I want to go home."_

... Connell was not what he had imagined his human would be like.

_"Evolve! Isn't that what you're supposed to be able to do to protect us or something? Am I wrong?"_

Could he really work with such a human? Someone that even the others in the group were uncomfortable with having around? Was it really his destiny to protect a human who didn't even care about this Digital World?

"Oh!"

A startled cry from nearby broke into Chicchimon's thoughts as he ran, shattering his train of thought. He landed awkwardly because of the surprise and before he knew it, he was on his side, looking at the corridor ahead from an adjusted angle. As he lay there, a foot stepped into his line of sight and he flapped until he righted himself. Then he found himself being picked from the ground gently by soft hands and dusted off of the dirt in his feathers.

"What has gotten into you little Toyagu? I know you are timid but it's not like you to be surprised by a small one."

The voice belonged to the Digimon now holding him in his hands, a tall strangely graceful looking plant-monster with a body that looked both vaguely draconic and insectoid in places and with the head of a sunflower. He was looking over his shoulder and slightly down at the other Digimon stood inside a doorway that Chicchimon had been running past when the cry had sounded. The other Digimon was small, blocky and colourful. Roughly the shape of the common Agumon species of saurian-monster, he clicked his rounded posts of claws together awkwardly.

"I... I was just surprised..." he muttered quietly, his eyes not meeting either Chicchimon or the larger plant-monster.

The sunflower tutted. "Well you made them fall over and hurt themselves. Apologise to the little one."

"I... I'm sorry..."

"I'm not a little one," Chicchimon said finally. "At least, I'm not usually this little..."

The sunflower creature tilted his head in interest, but the blocky creature seemed to freeze slightly with a choke. Chicchimon flapped himself free and landed on the soft dirt floor of the passage, before hopping back around to face them both and puffing himself up.

"You happen to be in the presence of a Partner Digimon!" he boasted.

"... Indeed?" the sunflower creature asked.

Chicchimon huffed. "I'm not lying!"

The larger Digimon raised an eyebrow, but from behind them the colourful Agumon replied softly. "I don't think he is lying... remember that you told me that someone had gone to fetch the humans and their Partners...?"

"Gururumon," Chicchimon nodded. "He got us here."

"Then, the humans are here?" the sunflower creature looked down the corridor Chicchimon had come from, as if expecting to see the rest of the group following on from the darkness.

"Yes, but..."

Chicchimon paused, unsure about whether or not he should tell these two about what'd just happened between himself and Connell; about what he was thinking and feeling right now. He found himself being lifted from the floor again and to the eye level of the larger Digimon.

"Something's on your mind, why don't you come in for a while?"

"I... I don't know..."

"You might as well," the blocky saurian said from the doorway. "Sunflowmon is notorious for not letting someone go until they tell them all their worries and make them feel better."

 

Elsewhere in the base, the main party had been led to a large central room that seemed to function as a recreational area that had many passages branching off of it. The centre of the room dipped down slightly, with rough seating encircling the edge and it was here that they sat now. Although the room was filled with happy and merry-making Digimon, they could tell that they were being observed from all directions, probably so that they didn't go anywhere before whoever Drimogemon had gone to get would show up and finally take them to the places they'd be staying as the Cell's "guests" of honour. They had sat in silence so far but now Ryuudamon gave a tiny huff.

"I don't like being watched so much," he muttered softly. "They're making my fur stand on end..."

"Well we followed Gururumon here, not much we can do about leaving now," Cerys pointed out.

"Gururumon wouldn't have let us not follow him," Jordan said darkly. "Remember what he tried to do to Connell...?"

They all remembered and from the expressions on their faces, none of them much relished doing so. Kala was the first to shake herself out of it.

"I suppose as long as we're here, we're safer than anywhere else..." she said. "I mean, even if they did let us go about our way... we don't exactly have much of a plan do we?"

"No, we don't..." Bakumon muttered sadly.

"Some great saviors we are!" Jordan snorted.

"Well, our arrival was a little... late," Cerys pointed out. "But much as I hate to say it, Kala has a point. Even if we were out on our own, what would we do? Where would we go?"

"Home."

The group turned as one to look at the one member of their party who hadn't yet spoken, as the young cub kept his arms folded, his expression one of deep thought.

"Home? But... we can't go home from here," Kala pointed out to Bearmon. "We don't know how to leave your world yet..."

"Not _your_ Home," Bearmon said. " _Ours_. The place where it all began for us..." and he looked over at Ryuudamon and Bakumon, the latter of whom jerked with a start.

"Clockmon's!" he cried, his eyes lighting up.

"Of course!" and now Ryuudamon was perking up too, although he kept his voice low. "Clockmon was the guardian of the Partner Project! He guided many teams of human and Digimon before us; he kept notes!"

"Will they still be there though?" Jordan asked his Partner.

"Bakumon?" Bearmon looked to the other animal creature.

"Last time I knew... they were still intact," Bakumon said, uneasily. "However, that was over a year back... I didn't go into his rooms much. I just kept waiting for the Call to be answered so I didn't leave that very often to see other things. I think..." and he squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. "... I think that an explosion on top blasted some rocks loose and in front of the door a while ago. So as long as no one got in through a wall..."

"... The notes should still be there!" Cerys finished, with a grin.

"That settles it then," Kala said with a nod. "We're going Home! Erm... to your Home." she finished with a nod to her Partner, who gave her a slightly evil smirk.

"Of course, you know this means we're escaping."

"Hold on, let's wait a while first," Cerys suggested. "They might offer us escort there, they may let any other Rebellion Cells in the area know that we're coming so they can help us if we need it... Drimogemon didn't seem as insistent that we stay in here all the time."

"I don't know," Bakumon muttered, returning his attention to the casually-watching Digimon surrounding them. "Something tells me we might have to fight for the right to go, and even then..."

He was interrupted by a loud distant noise that instantly made all the Rebellion Digimon scramble out of the room and forced them all to their feet.

An explosion.

"This place is under attack!"

 

Connell had wandered back up the tunnel towards the surface, unsure what to do next but sure enough that he knew he didn't want to be here anymore. He'd only stopped when he'd reached the blockage that Drimogemon had sealed the entrance with. He'd tried to see if he could make a small enough tunnel himself, but the dirt was packed solid and he'd only scraped his hands raw. Just as he stopped and tried to think of a new plan, he heard the large footsteps of something behind him.

"What are you doing, mmm?"

"I'm not staying here," Connell muttered. "I'm leaving."

"Mmm, that's not possible," Drimogemon replied. "You know that we went to a lot of trouble to escort you here, mmm. Please don't throw that away."

"I will not be a prisoner of... of... whatever you things are!" Connell replied, trying once again to scrape his way past the blockade. "I can't believe I ever followed Cerys and that weird little talking animal thing of hers... this is all too strange."

There was a moment of nothing and then Drimogemon asked, "And where is your Partner, mmm?"

Connell stopped his activity, feeling himself freeze up as he remembered...

"He... I... don't know," he admitted. "He's probably still inside this place, if that's what you're worried about."

"It is not that which has me worried, mmm..."

Connell heard the softness in the Digimon's tone and...

 

_"I gave the kid his ball back, if that's what you're worried about!"_

_"It isn't that which has me worried dear..."_

 

" _ **Free-throw Bomb!** _ "

The cry was from above, muffled through layers of dirt but the following explosion rocked them both in the tunnel and Connell slid back a few feet as a trail of loose dirt pushed him back. Drimogemon stepped up behind him, growling.

"You must get back down the tunnel, mm!"

"What...?"

Another explosion shook them and Connell saw cracks beginning to show in the blocked entranceway; understanding he nodded and darted behind Drimogemon, ready to stop being so insistent on escape if it meant running into his own demise.

"Huma- Connell!"

Connell stopped, surprised to hear a Digimon other than one of the group's using his name.

"Mmm, alert the Cell, if they've not already felt the quaking," Drimogemon said, turning slightly so he could see the human man over his shoulder. "Tell them that they've found us."


	31. Invasion!

After the explosion they'd all briefly considered what it was they'd do, whether they should remain where they were or go to help. Maybe even take the chance to slip out during the chaos? The third option was passed over although they had all kept it in the back of their minds. They couldn't leave, not without the forth pair of their team wherever they were. They had wondered whether staying put would be better; for them to pull any furniture in the room into some sort of fortification if whoever was causing the trouble should penetrate this far into the underground tunnels. While the idea had merits, none of them felt like waiting for any enemy to come to them. Even Ryuudamon although his was less wanting to fight and more that he really would prefer to know just what was happening so they could deal with it better informed. Now they found themselves moving down a corridor only just big enough for two of them to run side by side without knocking elbows with each other. They had to find out what was attacking them, help if they could... and honestly they did  _ really _ need to find out where Connell and Chicchimon had gotten to in case they did have to leave in a hurry.

"Can you hear anything?" Kala shouted forward, she and Cerys in the middle of their group as their Partners led the way.

"Only more explosions, but they're getting closer," Bakumon said.

"I can hear something scratching... above," and Bearmon looked up slightly even as they continued to run.

They all followed his eyes and even as they continued they noticed that patches of the ceiling seemed to be crumbling ever so slightly as  _ something _ moved on the other side of the soil forming the ceiling. As they passed a crossroad, something collapsed behind them, sending a spray of dirt down where Jordan and Ryuudamon had just passed and a Digimon followed it down. There were surprised yelps from some member of the party (no one ever confessed to it), and they picked up their stride. They didn't stop to see what had come through as they heard roars and cries from ahead, one of a battle just beginning. Behind them another avalanche of dirt exploded down and whatever was dropping from the ceiling began to give chase, one set of footfalls turning into two as the second joined the chase.

"We need more room before we evolve," Bakumon said to Bearmon, as the latter showed signs of turning to fight.

Bearmon agreed with a nod, an expression of irritation on his face at his fellow Partner's having a point. "They've got to have weakened the structure of the passage, I don't want to bring the rest of the ceiling down with an attack."

"Then keep running!" Ryuudamon said, "You've just given me an idea."

Jordan looked at his Partner confused, but the Saurian just indicated that he keep running. As they did, he came to a halt and turned to the pursuers. All he could see were their eyes glowing in the dark, but he didn't care. He stood his ground and took in a breath to launch his attack. He could have sworn he saw a grin appear under one of the sets of eyes, and angled his head up to the ceiling.

" _**Iai Blade!** _ "

His attack, silvery and straight shot into the ceiling. As Bearmon had thought, the dropping raiders had weakened the structure of the passage's ceiling and more of it began to collapse down, hiding the two chasing the group from Ryuudamon's sight as he moved backwards quickly to avoid being buried. To compound the blockage he raced over to each wall nearby and used his claws to crumble up walls so they would collapse if anyone tried to dig through. With his task done he turned tail and put his head down to sprint and catch up with the main group.

"Hopefully that'll slow them down for a while," he muttered as he raced towards the others.

Chicchimon was uncomfortable. There was no other word for it, this situation he found himself in was awkward and he wanted to leave. But then Sunflowmon had poured him some green tea and was so nicely talking to him, it would be rude. Yet still...

"A problem shared is one halved," Sunflowmon said again, the fifth time Chicchimon had heard it now in the short amount of time since he had accepted the invitation into the plant Digimon's room.

Chicchimon sat atop of a stool piled high with cushion so he could see over the table. Across from him sat Sunflowmon, the teapot in his hands and an expectant expression on his face as he waited for Chicchimon to elaborate more on the vague musing he'd made to try and satisfy the curious questioning headed towards him. To his side sat ToyAgumon, who from the brief time Chicchimon had been in this room seemed to have been similarly caught up in Sunflowmon's well-meaning but rather intense desire to need to hear problems. It also seemed that the blocky Rookie was unable to leave even though Sunflowmon's attention had been briefly diverted with a second Digimon to ask questions of.

"I... I'd rather not..." he tried again.

"Nonsense, you'll feel better without it weighing you down!" Sunflowmon smiled.

"It's really not something I feel..."

The explosion that had alerted the rest of the Cell and the beings within it happened at that second. Although it was a sign of incoming hostilities Chicchimon couldn't help but give some thanks to the Sovereign above for the timing of the interruption later. Sunflowmon's entire demeanor changed in an instant, going from concerned and near parental to stern and tense. He stood up, the stool he'd been sitting on falling to the ground behind him.

"Stay here!" he ordered, before slamming his way through the door to his room and taking off down the corridor.

Both the other Digimon kept their eyes on the door for a few seconds before Chicchimon shook himself off, ruffling his feathers and leapt to the floor.

"I have to go," he said.

"Y-you sure?" ToyAgumon said. "I don't think you..."

"I can evolve!" Chicchimon snapped, catching onto what ToyAgumon was thinking. "As I said earlier, I am a Partner and I am not always this little! Even if my human isn't with me right now, I can evolve back to my Rookie stage without him."

He began to hop towards the door, only to be stopped by ToyAgumon's soft answer of, "I... I know..."

He turned around to look at the other Rookie who once again was nervously clicking his rounded claws together, his eyes averted to the floor. ToyAgumon was hiding something.

"What...?"

The question was interrupted by the sound of falling earth outside the door and Chicchimon saw a shape moving rapidly towards him through the crack between door and frame. He moved back as something threw it open and caught him, sending him bowling forward. As the attacked moved forward towards him, he heard the sound of plastic hitting the wooden table from above him and a small shadow flew over him.

" _**Toy Flame!** _ "

Chicchimon came to a halt under the table, which was falling forward having been carried by the motion of ToyAgumon's leaping across it to intercept their attacker. The other Digimon had been taken by surprise by the attack, and had been knocked back into the corridor. As it stood Chicchimon recognised the body form and shape of an Elecmon... but where the fur should be red it was a dark purple and where it was usually dark blue it was yellow instead. It opened red eyes and snarled at ToyAgumon, who was now blocking the door.

"Traitor!"

ToyAgumon flinched slightly at that, casting a glance over his shoulder at Chicchimon before seeming to snap out of it and advancing forward.

"No," he said softly. "I was just reborn and cleansed of his evil touch. Now get out of here!"

The Elecmon laughed. "You must have heard that explosion... even if I went you won't be able to stop the rest of us. No, I'm staying and this group of fools will pay for what they did!"

He leapt forward at the plastic Rookie, claws and sharp teeth forward. ToyAgumon intercepted it with a short arm, the other Rookies teeth biting down. However the claws sparked as they lashed over ToyAgumon's arm and Elecmon scored a hit on the reptile's nose. ToyAgumon stumbled back and Elecmon kicked out with his back legs, hitting the chest and distracting ToyAgumon long enough for him to push away then quickly leap back for another assault with his teeth.

**Chicchimon Shinka!**

Penmon pushed past ToyAgumon and lashed out with a  **_Endless Slap_ ** attack, smacking the Elecmon's eager face. The purple Rookie flew off to the side and hit one of the walls of Sunflowmon's room. Penmon quickly helped the other Rookie up.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-you saved me?"

Penmon blinked in shock at the disbelief in ToyAgumon's voice, but then they both heard Elecmon getting to his feet. He snarled again, seeing that he was outnumbered.

"This isn't over!" he swore, before dashing out of the open door.

"We've got to go after him," ToyAgumon said.

"First, tell me what he meant by 'traitor'?" Penmon said, tapping his foot. "You're hiding something from me..."

ToyAgumon seemed to shrink in on himself again, and he whined slightly.

"I... I... well, we've met. Before. Once," he said eventually.

Penmon gave him a confused look so ToyAgumon cleared his throat, seemed to be gathering his courage together.

"A long, long time ago when the takeover of the Digital World began, many evil Digimon saw the chaos as an excuse to begin to gather armies and take over areas of land," he said. "I mean, there weren't any Chosen humans or Partner Digimon available to stop them at the time, was there?"

Penmon nodded, acknowledging that what he said was true. "Go on?"

"Well, there was one Digimon... he had the ability to corrupt the hearts and minds of good Digimon into darker versions of themselves. He used it to brainwash and corrupt many smaller Digimon into his service. I was one of them..."

Penmon stared at him thinking about what the other was saying, and thinking back he recalled a memory of many years back... when he'd first evolved to his Rookie form.

_ "PetitMeramon! Wake up!" _

Another Digimon, who had shared ToyAgumon's basic shape and attack if not colouring...

"You were the ShadowToyAgumon who attacked me and PetitMeramon that night I first became Penmon..."

ToyAgumon nodded softly, curling in much smaller on himself in fear. Penmon thought about what he had just learned and asked the first question that came to his mind.

"Then... that Elecmon?"

"Also tainted," ToyAgumon whispered. "The Rebellion raided a nearby barracks where others like me and him were stationed. I fought them and was destroyed, reformatted back down to the Digitama I hatched from about two weeks ago finally free to be ToyAgumon again... they say that no Digimon remembers their past lives but I do. I remember it all..."

"So this attack is revenge?"

"It must be," ToyAgumon said, standing up taller again. "We need to get you and the other Partners out of here, along with your humans... I mean," and he looked down. "The Rebellion has to get you out... I'm not..."

Penmon placed a wing gently on the other Digimon's nose and ToyAgumon stopped.

"I'm sorry that all that happened to you," Penmon said. "Come on, we need to find my human partner... we need to find Connell. I don't know this place's tunnels. Can you navigate for me?"

ToyAgumon hesitated but then slowly nodded.

"To make up for the last time we met."

"You saved me, you already have done," Penmon said. "Let's call this proving to yourself that you really are a good Digimon, even after so long being bad?"

"... Follow me."

Lurking inside a room with stone-reinforced walls, one of the human Chosen listened to the sounds of distant battle and tried his best not to think of which of the friendly Digimon they'd seen so far might already be gone. At least the explosions had tapered off slightly, although every now and again one would still sound worryingly inside of the tunnels. Jordan had told the others to carry on ahead without him, as Ryuudamon would need his human partner in case of attack. He pretended not to see their looks that symbolised the fact that they suspected he wouldn't ever push Ryuudamon into evolving, even if their lives were in danger.

Truth be told, Jordan was becoming more aware of something he hadn't even registered until recently. When Lewis had been alive, even if Jordan had always felt a distant second to his brother he had at least never been lonely. Twins came as a set, a pair and being born together guaranteed you a friend, a confident, something who would always have your back no matter what. With his twin's death Jordan had lost that, but it'd been a distant ache under the raw grief of losing his sibling. Here that raw pain was beginning to subside, as fighting for your life and that of an entire world's took some priority. Yet that loneliness was fading too, and Jordan had realised that having Ryuudamon as his was almost filling that gap. He didn't quite know how to deal with that, as it felt almost like he was betraying his brother by doing so.

Yes Ryuudamon needed him, but Jordan was coming to see that in a way beyond the need for protection in this hostile world he needed Ryuudamon just as much.

Hearing the running footsteps, he stuck his head out of the doorway cautiously. Fortunately it was the saurian and he waved to catch Ryuudamon's attention, who noticed him and jolted slightly.

"You should be with the others!"

"I wanted to be sure you had backup in case it was needed," Jordan said, joining his Partner as they continued down the corridor.

"That was very silly," Ryuudamon sighed, but smiled. "Thank you."

A wall ahead exploded outwards, causing them both to come to a halt. Spilling out was the familiar form of Gururumon, and he was engaged in battle with a number of other Digimon of beast-like appearances. Most of them looked similar to Bearmon, but larger and four-legged with darker fur colours and wild red eyes without pupils. As they savagely attacked Gururumon, another Digimon emerged from the hole, a black feline-like Digimon with purple claw gloves and a long thin tail. As human and Partner froze, the cat glanced over and noticed them with a start.

"A human?" she said, her voice smooth and curious. "Well, that's unexpected..."

"Human, Ryuudamon!" Gururumon's voice cried out from under the pile of attacking bear-Digimon ahead of them. "Get away! Run!"

The cat grinned and as Jordan and Ryuudamon backed away and began to run down a side passage she began to chase after them.

Neither of them were quite far enough away to miss hearing Gururumon's final defiant roars. Nor the explosion that followed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The purple Elecmon is actually a variation I found while browsing the Digi-Dex at With The Will - http://dma.wtw-x.net/dexelec2.shtml#1
> 
> I thought it made sense to use it, as I was sad I didn't get to use the first Elecmon too much in the story.
> 
> Once again - thanks to my wonderful Beta for looking over the chapter... even if half the last sentence apparently didn't send to her. xD)


	32. The Start Of The Battle

Connell's world was pain when he came to.

The world around him was pretty dark, with patches of light coming through gaps around him. A moment was needed for his brain to make sense of the sensations around him and they told him that he was on his stomach, lying on something very hard that was sticking into him in different places, while atop of him was what felt like a lot of loose soil and rock that buried him almost entirely. Fortunately it was not very heavy, which was good for two reasons. Firstly, and more immediately, it at least wasn't pressing him that much harder into whatever jagged surface he was laying on. More importantly though, it meant that he was probably hidden from sight. Which, his brain now aware enough to remind him of the situation he found himself in, was probably very much for the best.

 

His journey down the entrance tunnel had been fairly quick, with only minor stabs of panic to his chest as his feet slid on the dirt floor a couple of times. He had reached the place where they had come across Bearmon and Chicchimon fighting earlier, and he allowed himself a second to pause, unsure which way he should head. He decided that deeper down would likely be where the most important rooms in the place, and therefore some of the most important Rebellion members would be. The same way Chicchimon had ran too, he'd thought, and right now he needed his Partner by his side. Arguments and his own desires be damned, for the moment all he cared about was staying alive. He also kind of felt like maybe he owed Drimogemon that last favor of spreading an alert of the incoming attack to as many Digimon as he could find.

He was almost to the bottom when the large blast rang out, and it must have come from somewhere behind him - probably at the entrance Drimogemon had stayed to defend. It took a second but a blast of shock, somewhat dampened by the journey down the dirt tunnel, hit him in the back and he fell forward. He got to his feet as he heard many other voices and cries of alarm, and suddenly doors and passages around him began to move with life. Only a few stopped to register the human on his hands and knees on the ground beside the tunnel down.

"There's... someone was blasting the entrance!" Connell managed to choke out, a little winded both from the sprint down and the impact of the shockwave. He struggled to his feet. "Drimogemon stayed behind to defend."

"Okay, we'll go help!" nodded a Digimon, one that looked vaguely like one of Fangmon's vegetable minions-except colored a dried-up brown, replied. He bounded forward to the tunnel, and Connell stepped to the side to let him past as a number of similar Digimon raced after their fellow to help Drimogemon.

... If Drimogemon was still alive, Connell tried not to think.

He shook himself mentally and darted forward, not running as the main corridor was a hive of activity with Digimon preparing to fight or trying to get others to safety, but moving quickly through the crowds. He knew that Chicchimon must be down here somewhere, but how far he'd gotten was unknown. Connell couldn't remember how long it'd been since the bird-ball had run off, but he could be deep within the base by now. If they had to leave, that might not be the best place for him to be right now. Connell just hoped that he could find his Partner before a hostile Digimon found him. He was under no delusion that Chicchimon could protect himself to a degree, but Connell himself? Brave he might have been back in the fight that overtook Fangmon's death pit of sand but Gururumon's assault on him had shaken his resolve a little. If another larger Digimon found him, he could not fight back with any hope of winning.

And losing right now carried a very lethal threat.

He continued on that train of thought, right until the ceiling began to cave in before him. The Digimon around him began to fight the attackers who were dropping from the ceiling, but there were many. This in itself was not an issue, as there were enough Digimon in the Rebellion here to fight them. The issue was that so many were dropping in, much more than in other places (who knew why that was?) and both sides quickly found themselves with an additional hazard as the roof began to cave in. Connell had quickly ducked into a small room, getting only the briefest of glances at a stone table and a bed before something hit him in the back with the sound of tumbling ground and rock.

 

He shifted awkwardly, realizing that the collapsed ceiling had knocked him forward onto that table, which now lay in two bits. It seemed that having been knocked forward though, he had avoided being crushed to death by the mass of soil that now blocked the exit to the room. He moved, managing to shift free his arms, and gently levered himself up, moving backwards into a crouching position that was only slightly skewed by the table halves under him. He gave himself a little shake, like that of a dog before he began to try and brush off the worst of the clinging dirt from his clothes. Funny, he'd only just realized that he'd been wearing these same clothes now for days and yet he'd never felt like they'd been anything but fresh on... until now that is. Maybe that was another one of those strange effects of this world. He shuffled over to the side of the table and stood up, his feet now on the carpet of soil that covered the rocky floor of what he assumed must have been living quarters. The walls gave off some eerie luminescence that seemed imbued into the rock, so at least he could see but he turned to look at where the door had been and sighed.

"Now what do I do?"

 

" **_Little Bear True Punch!_ ** "

As Bearmon's fist collided with the orange-hot gear Digimon, it was sent flying but Bearmon snatched back his claw, waving it frantically to stop the fur from smoking. His fangs grit slightly, although more from irritation than the pain he felt. The little gear Digimon landed and slid across the floor, out cold but more closed the gap. Bakumon stepped forward.

" _**Nightmare Syndrome!** _ "

His attack made the Digimon retreat back a little further, and Bearmon rejoined the fight. Behind them the two women stood, their fists clenched tightly. They had almost made it to where they had heard the fight taking place, although it was beginning to quiet down, and they suspected that they would be too late to change any results. They had been waylaid anyway by a small group of gear-shaped Digimon, ones that Bearmon had informed them were called Solarmon. Unusually, they had not spoken, instead blocking the way ahead and so Bearmon had leapt forward to attack as he did. Judging by his reaction though, the Solarmon were pretty hot to the touch.

"Keep driving them back Bakumon," Bearmon said. "They seem to just be blocking..."

"And we need to get past," Bakumon agreed. " _ **Nightmare Syndrome!** _ "

The attack once again made the Solarmon move back, but one or two of them moved forward again once the attack ended. They began to spin and Bearmon began to move back.

" **_Shiny Ring!_ ** "

A wave of heat radiated off the Solarmon and both the Partners shrunk back from it, attempting to turn away from the glare as both their human companions held their arms in front of their faces.

"Looks like they really don't want us to get past," Kala muttered. "We might have to risk an evolution."

"I can take them like this!" Bearmon protested to her.

"Not if they all attack at once," Bakumon said. "And if you want to keep your paws unburnt."

"They'll heal!"

Suddenly from the corridor fork behind the Solarmon, they saw something moving towards them, and moving quite fast. It was in shadow as the lighting along the corridors was mostly strung up on the ceilings and with all the aerial drop-ins a lot of it had come loose and fallen. The Solarmon registered it too and some of the ones in the back turned to see just who was approaching.

" **_Sunshine Beam!_ ** "

Those Solarmon were burned away by a light and heat stronger than their own, and alarmed the other Solarmon turned as well. Running down the corridor, a giant flower-headed creature was charging up his attack again and the gear-Digimon all began to panic. They tried to move back into the room from which they had emerged earlier to block the four, but they all managed to jam themselves into the frame in their rush. Sunflowmon's second attack finished the rest of the group. As the Champion came to a halt in front of them, the two humans muttered their thanks but he waved it off.

"Someone told me to come back here to check you were okay," he explained. "I left my room and I asked where the Chosen and other Partners were, and when someone told me that you'd been left in that room... well, I volunteered to come find you all." He paused and looked over their heads. "Is this all of you?"

"No, Ryuudamon and Jordan got left behind back there," Kala pointed back down the passage they'd come from. "Ryuudamon stayed behind to block up a tunnel and we left Jordan to wait for him... they should have caught up to us by now."

"There's also Connell, and Chicchimon." Bakumon added.

"Ah, now I can reassure you on Chicchimon's behalf - he's safe in my room deeper in the base," Sunflowmon said, humming a little with pleasure. "This 'Connell' though... another human? I assume he is Chicchimon's partner."

"Yes, did you see him on the way down?"

"I'm afraid not, I would have noticed a human running about." Sunflowmon replied.

There was silence, a pause in which they tried not to let their minds race. Sunflowmon was the one to snap them out of it.

"I hear more hostile Digimon, down there," and he pointed to where they had come. "I think your companions who got left behind might have found some trouble."

The women exchanged glances. If that was true...

"Ryuudamon can't evolve."

"He can," Bearmon corrected. "But given what happened last time..."

"Come on!" Cerys ran forward first, Bakumon by her heels.

The others followed on behind her as they hoped to whatever gods existed in this digital world that they wouldn't be too late.

 

Penmon and ToyAgumon's progress through the corridors of the Rebellion base had been slow. Although at first the corridors were empty, their emergence into the main ones had led to scenes of mass battles and individual ones - all squeezed into the same narrow spaces. They had mutually decided that they would get involved in as few of the battles as they could, hoping to find Connell above all else. While ToyAgumon was navigating for them, they both kept the same pace and moved side-by-side through the fights. Ducking through gaps, dodging rogue attacks, firing off the odd one when they had no other option. When they reached the other side of the corridor, Penmon moved forward first and ToyAgumon hesitated. His mind was filled with flickers of memory, times when he had been fighting on the opposite side of the one he was now a part of. Not all of it was very clear, but he did remember the desire to fight and destroy had been very much the front of his mind then - as ShadowToyAgumon he had gotten such a thrill from being evil and following his master's orders to the letter. How many of the hostile Digimon here were just like he had been once?

"Come on!"

Penmon had returned, and yanked the other Digimon after him. ToyAgumon followed quickly, leading Penmon into a much larger corridor that the Partner vaguely recalling having come down earlier in his upset state. While most of the corridor was again filled with fighting, most of it seemed to have moved further in by now and it was a long way down from them. The other side of the corridor nearest to them was caved in and very much buried. ToyAgumon scowled.

"The slope to the entrance was that way!" he said. "We're going to have to use the emergency tunnels to get you guys out. Once we find you all, I mean."

Penmon nodded and then something caught his eye. Something half-buried in the mound of fallen-in roof. It could be a rock or anything, yet something in his mind told him that he needed to go investigate. He waddled over to it and as he got closer, he remembered that he had seen it before. This cylindrical object, slightly wider at one end with a lens that was now slightly cracked, although the bulb behind it was on. Penmon supposed that the falling rocks and soil must have bizarrely managed to turn it on.

"This is the torch that Connell was holding." he said, too quiet for ToyAgumon to hear although the saurian perked up and looked around at the sound of his voice.

Indeed, though it belonged to Cerys, Penmon remembered that Connell had hung it from his belt after their adventures through the cliffside caves and with Sabirdramon and his army. If it was here then that must mean...

"Connell was here!" Penmon said, raising his voice now to include ToyAgumon in his discovery.

"Penmon??"

The voice was faint, and Penmon turned frantically.

"Connell!"

He waited and then, "Penmon, you evolved?"

"I can you know," but Penmon's huffy irritation was pretended, relief colouring his tone. "Where are you?" He put the side of his face to the dirt mound, listening.

"I'm okay, I got into a room." Connell said, and the two Rookies located a door almost completely hidden from sight just on the edge of the collapse. "I was knocked out for a bit, but I'm not hurt. Just... stuck."

"Hold on," Penmon said, as he leapt onto the mound of dirt. "We'll try to get clear a way."

ToyAgumon nodded and leapt forward too, digging plastic claws into loose dirt and scraping away frantically. Penmon was about to join when he saw the lurking Digimon in the doorway. He threw himself at ToyAgumon.

"Look out!"

That purple Elecmon, or maybe it was another one, leapt from an abandoned room, the door hanging off its frames and having hidden him inside in the darkness. His attack hit Penmon instead of ToyAgumon, his true target.

" **_Sparkling Thunder!_ ** "

Penmon took the attack and rolled forward off ToyAgumon, clutching his chest with his wing as his friend stopped the digging and looked helplessly at their attacker. Before he could do anything...

" **_Neko Punch!_ ** "

Blam! A streak hit the Elecmon and he exploded into data, as another small, dark Digimon was left standing in its place. They grinned at the shocked pair.

"Well, aren't you going to say thank you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The lateness on this one is my fault. I've been busy.  
> Thanks again to my beta reader!)


	33. The Sky Is Falling

The two women had retraced their path through the larger earth passages to attempt to discover where their friend had gone, hoping that he would meet them coming the other direction - even if he was being chased by hostile Digimon. This hope was quashed though when they reached a blockage part of the way along and discovered that the tunnel had collapsed. Sunflowmon had led them down a smaller side way though, and the passages ahead had been mercifully empty of fighters as they attempted to navigate their way around and back to the tunnel they had last seen Jordan in. More and more ways they tried though, were blocked and eventually they found themselves emerging into the upper levels again. By the time they reached those upper tunnels, it was clear that the attackers were pulling back. The Rebellion had celebrated their victory and Sunflowmon too had seemed to relax a little bit. It became very apparent why the enemy had retreated and just what they had been after in the first place...

"It's falling!"

The cry came further along the corridor they were in, and in short order all was chaos again. The Rebellion had scattered, desperately trying to find an escape as the entire underground network collapsed around them. Sunflowmon had taken charge, escorting the Chosen and Partners he had with him back into the lower tunnels, shielding them with his own body at times to save them being crushed by loose soil and rock. He directed the group from his position behind and above them, shouting about secret tunnels at the base of the Cell's residence. It was the only way they would be able to escape he said, and he would come with them to make sure they would be safe.

"I suppose we have to hope the guys are heading down that way too!" Kala shouted to Cerys as they ran.

"But what if they don't know about the tunnels?"

"There's plenty of Rebellion Digimon, we have to hope that they're being similarly escorted!"

"My fellow members will certainly do that if they can," Sunflowmon joined in the conversation from above their heads. "But even if they aren't, I must make sure that you two at least are alive to save this world!"

"B-but don't we need everyone?" Bakumon muttered quietly. "That's what Cerys and I were originally trying to do... we needed you all."

"They'll make it out," Bearmon replied. "If only because I haven't known anything to stop that annoying birdmon... it might actually a  _ useful _ quality right now."

"Jump!"

Sunflowmon's cry came just in time as the floor below them crumbled down into a lower tunnel underneath. The group all managed to find their footing and leapt down with the fall, mostly sticking the landing and continuing ever downwards towards their escape and hopefully the other half of their party.

 

 

"Well?"

The small black cat Digimon asked again, as ToyAgumon continued to stand there in shock at what had just happened. With a shake of his head, he pulled himself together and took a step towards the other Digimon.

"Y-You're with them aren't you?"

"I came in with the invading party, if that's what you're asking."

"Th-Then... why...?"

Penmon stood up behind ToyAgumon, watching the conversation between the two. The other Digimon sighed.

"Because I'm not with them, stupid." They replied disdainfully. "In fact, you're pretty lucky, you know? If you weren't with that one here, I'd leave you to die like so many others in this pointless little battle."

Penmon realized that attention was now being directed towards him and he gave their saviour a confused and bewildered look, one that ToyAgumon also seemed to share before he snarled.

"How do I know we can trust you? I was part of these troops once, I know that there's no loyalty in the ranks. The idea of murdering an ally to trick an enemy could easily cross your mind!"

"If you won't trust them, then trust us."

Two more figures emerged from the dust of the corridor, one Digimon and one human. Penmon stepped forward to be level with ToyAgumon and gently laid a wing on the plastic saurian's shoulder as he began to direct aggression towards the two.

"It's okay, they're with me. They're my friends, I mean."

"Penmon, where's Connell?" Jordan asked.

"What's going on out there?" an angry retort was heard from behind Penmon and ToyAgumon.

"Oh, hold on Connell, I'm coming!" and Jordan ran forward with a long flat piece of metal that resembled a plate; he began to dig at the soil trapping Connell.

"He thought it might be useful to defend us... if need be." Ryuudamon answered to the question written on Penmon's face.

"Hurry up, the fighting might head back this way at any time." muttered the cat monster as they kept one eye focused back down the corridor.

"Who are you?" ToyAgumon asked. "You say you came with the invading army of corrupted Digimon but you're not with them..."

The cat gave him a glare, but before they could speak Ryuudamon once again began to talk.

"We met BlackTailmon just after we reunited in the lower tunnels," he said, indicating to Jordan who was now making short work of digging out Connell with Penmon's help. "At first we thought she was with the attackers too, especially when she showed up with an attack force fighting Gururumon."

''I chased the two of them away from the other heart-darkened Digimon," BlackTailmon said. "Once we were safely away I let them know that I wasn't here to kill them, only to make sure they were safe. And now I suppose that includes getting them out of this place in one piece... ugh, how annoying."

"So, you're on our side?" Penmon had paused in his digging to listen. 

BlackTailmon gave a snort of mirth. "I'm on no side in this stupid war, Partner. I look after me, and me alone. The only thing that gets me out of bed is a decent amount of bits and someone paid me a nice sum to find you and your pet humans."

At that everyone gave her a startled look, and Penmon asked "Who-?"

"Finally!"

With the sound of shifting earth and falling pebbles Connell pushed his way through the mound that had kept him trapped inside the room for the past while. Jordan grabbed onto his arm and began to help him out fully, while the rest of the party returned their attention to BlackTailmon. Before any of them could try to ask her again about the identity of the person who was paying her though, she suddenly looked upwards.

"Oh no…" she muttered.

"What are you-?" ToyAgumon uttered before a small amount of soil landed on his nose.

"The army, their plan was... oh never mind!" BlackTailmon snapped. "Get him free! We have to leave, now!"

Penmon and Ryuudamon ran over to assist their human partners, while ToyAgumon approached BlackTailmon.

"The main entrance is blocked, and the army could be waiting outside the other ground entrances," he said to her. "We need to go down deeper, there's emergency escape tunnels down there."

BlackTailmon nodded. "Guide us down, I'll deal with any trouble."

Since the other four had joined their little party, ToyAgumon pointed the way and they began their quest downwards-and hopefully out of the collapsing base.

  
  


Sliding down a pile of rubble that had once been the floor of a tunnel above, the girls and the Digimon with them saw a small gathering of Rebellion Digimon massed around the end of the passage that opened up widely. As they kept up the pace they had since the collapse began (although at this point they were all beginning to feel exhausted) they saw Digimon leaping forward and being pulled away quickly by a force in random directions.

"What-?"

"This Cell has a lot of ground to cover," Sunflowmon grinned, as he straightened up at last to gesture. "So we have a series of quick-travel tunnels. We don't quite know what provides the airflow, but timing your leap should get you down the right passage."

Closer now they could see that the Digimon who had vanished seemingly into shadows had instead been drawn down one of several passages that circled a pit at the end of the corridor. As he had said, air was blowing from somewhere under where they stood and the Digimon jumping in were being drawn away at speed. Sunflowmon put a hand to his chin.

"I don't really think it matters where we go, as long as we get out of danger," he said. "So feel free to jump whenever you want. Be careful not to jump too near a passage change though, you won't want to be separated."

Bearmon nodded and began to walk forward, but Kala stopped him with a hand on his cap.

"We can't leave yet," she said. "The guys-"

"You must leave now," Sunflowmon cut in, his voice worried but at the same time telling them that he wouldn't take any arguments. "I will wait, I will make sure they follow you down the right passage."

"Well, okay..."

The four walked forward, waiting until the wind changed direction before beginning to walk forward. In that second a loud crash sounded from behind them. They turned in shock and surprise, only to have something hit them hard, sending them forward over the edge and into the wind channel. Unlike the Digimon before, they landed on their backs and so the journey down the passage was a confusing and turbulent one for human and Digimon alike.

The last thing any of them saw of the Rebellion Cell's base was the disintegrating form of Sunflowmon as the bomb thrown by the Bombernanimon killed him...


End file.
